Be Strong Be Smart Be Safe
by Siampie1990
Summary: Aria Victus had lived her entire life away from any humans. Her only company were the Wraith. Abandoned by her parents on a strange planet, she had survived the wraiths, the cold and her loneliness. One day, three strangers, humans like her, arrived on her planet. They wanted something she possessed and they had something she desired. John Sheppard/OC (slowburn) [Start Season 2]
1. Chapter 1

_**Chapter 1**_

 _ **Thanks for reading this story.**_

 _ **New Story, read, enjoy and review.**_

* * *

This morning was like any other for the small redhead girl. Her mother woke her up, fed her breakfast. Dressed her in a beautiful dress. Her father was packing some supplies. They were going through the Ring visiting a site her parents were working on. They were respected scientists among her people. Specialized in the technology of the ancestors. She always accompanied her parents when they were going through the Ring. It was a dangerous deed but her parents were cautious. They taught her what to do in case they were under attack. All she had to do was to hide and not come out until her parents came and get her.

As it was said before, this morning looked like any other. But it felt different to the small girl. Her parents seemed nervous, anxious. She couldn't understand why. Everything was normal, nothing has changed. And yet, she knew something was different.

She followed her mother outside of her home, her father was in a heated conversation with the village chief. He was still angry when he walked back to his family.

"Is everything alright?" Her mother asked him.

"He's not happy with our expedition." He answered.

"Does he suspect anything?" Her mother asked him and the little girl frowned.

"No—I don't think so." He sighed. "He just wanted to be sure that we'll be here tomorrow for the reaping."

"What's a reaping?" The small girl asked.

"Reaping is the same as harvesting." Her father answered crouching down at her level.

"Like the farmers do with the vegetables?" She scrunched up her nose in concentration.

"Exactly." Her father nodded and before she could ask anymore questions, he got up and took her hand. And the three of them walked out of the village. And towards the Ring.

* * *

When they arrived on the research site, her parents did no research. On the contrary, they walked away from the site and sat by the river banks. There they had a pic-nick It was a good day. A different day but a good day. She laughed and cried in laughter. She swam in the river with her father, played with both her parents. It was a good day. A different day but a good day.

* * *

Night was falling upon them and it was time for her family to go back on their planet. However, her parents did make any move to go towards the Ring. Her mother helped in her warm coat. She was asked to collect her bag which she did while her parents conversed behind her.

"Can we really do this?" Her mother asked her father.

"We agreed on this." Her father grabbed her mother's shoulders. "You know it's the only way."

"There are wraiths on this planet, what if they find her? What if they feed on her?" Her mother said frantically to her father. "We won't have a daughter to come back too."

"As soon as we'll leave this planet we won't have a daughter anymore." Her father retorted. "She will be dead to us."

"We might as well bring her back with us. What difference does it make? Whether it's here or back at the village, we lose our daughter." Her mother snapped and she looked up.

"I'd rather lose her to the wraith than lose her to Solus." Her father countered. "You haven't seen what happened to the children with the gift. They became empty shells. Their soul and their mind completely torn apart. We can't let that happen to our daughter."

"But here…" Her mother sobbed.

"I know." Her father pulled her mother into his arms. "I wish there was a better way, I wish there was another solution. At best, the wraiths will be sleeping for another hundred years. At worst, they will wake and they won't know she's here."

"Why are you crying mother?" The small girl asked looking up at her mother.

"It's nothing." Her mother reassured her crouching down in front of her. The woman wiped her tears off of her face. "We are going back to the ancestors' outpost."

"And then we are going home?" She asked her mother.

The woman looked up at her husband before answering her daughter. "Let's go."

* * *

They reached the site an hour later. As it usually did, the outpost lit up as the small girl walked in. Her mother took her bag away from her and placed in its usual corner.

"Do you remember how to turn the devices off?" Her father asked her and she nodded. "Show me."

The small girl moved to one of the consoles and pushed the button in the middle of it. All the lights turned off, except for the console that was still glowing.

"The lights must be turned off all the time. The outpost needs to look dormant." Her father instructed her. "Understood?"

"Yes." The girl answered but not really understanding why he was giving her those instructions.

"Stay here. Stay safe." Her mother told her next. "Do not venture outside unless you have too."

"But you're staying with me?" She asked tears gathering in her eyes.

"We can't stay here with you. We have to go back." Her mother replied. "We will come back once it's safe."

"No! Don't leave me here!" The small girl cried.

"Hush now, my love, we're doing this for you." Her father told her next.

"Don't leave me here, please! I promise to be good." She threw herself in her mother's arms, hanging on for dear life.

"You've always been good. You were always perfect." Her mother reassured her, chocking up a sob. She pulled away from her daughter. "I know it's scary and I know it's unfair. But believe us we're trying to save you."

Her words felt empty on her own tongue. She would either lose her daughter to the Reaping or to the wraith. And death seemed to be a sweeter fate than those two options. When they discovered that their daughter had the gift, they knew this day would come. The day where she would be lost to them. Her husband and she agreed on the best way to save their daughter, especially after he discovered what Solus was doing to those with the gift.

They didn't want to leave her, they wanted to stay with her. They could have run away on another planet and Solus would have left them alone. But the other children needed them. If they had a better understanding of the ancestor's technology, they could probably save those children. They could overthrow Solus. Stop him from destroying more lives. This desire to help their people came with a price. Their daughter's life. They had to keep her safe and yet, they were putting her life in great danger. They felt cornered, they had no other choice. No allies, they couldn't trust anyone. Just trust their instinct and leave her under the protection of the ancestors.

"Be strong. Be smart. Be safe." Her father told her softly. "We will always be with you and in your heart."

"Please, don't leave me here!" the girl sobbed loudly. "Please, I want to go with you. Don't leave me!" She said holding onto her mother once again. "I'll be good."

"Kahlee, we have to go." Khalee struggled to pull away her daughter away from her. Both mother and daughter were crying. Her father stepped in and pulled her away from her mother. "That's enough."

"Edan!" Kahlee exclaimed tearfully. "She's just scared. Let's bring her back with us. We'll convince Solus, please."

"No, Kahlee, we agreed. She will stay here. End of the discussion." He snapped. "Listen, listen! You don't go near the Ring. Never go near the Ring. You stay here, always stay in this area."

"Father, please!" The little girl sobbed loudly.

"Let go. Let go!" He said pushing her down.

"Aria!" Her mother called out but Edan, her father, gripped his wife's hand and pulled her behind him.

"Mother! Father!" Aria got on her feet and chased after them. "Mother! Please, don't leave me here."

It was dark outside of the ancestors' outpost; but she kept calling. Running after them blindly. She could hear her mother's cries through the night. She ran following the best she could, the sound coming from her mother. They were going back to the Ring. She knew where the Ring was. She knew the path by heart. So, she ran until her lungs and legs burn. The Ring was being activated, she quickened her pace. But she was too far, her small legs couldn't compete with her father's strides. She arrived just in time to see her parents making their way towards the Ring. She followed. Only for the Ring to shut off right in front of her.

"MOTHER!" She screamed at the top of her lungs before collapsing on the ground crying.

* * *

The years that followed were hard ones. Surviving on a hostile planet was a difficult thing, to do it when you are only an eight-year-old was impossible. Yet, Aria survived. The first days, she cried and tried to compose her planet's address by memory. Only to realize that her parents never taught her, her home planet's address. Then, she began to feel hunger and thirst. She had to venture outside and away from her new home. It wasn't home, yet but it was where she lived now. She went to the river to collect water, she looked in the woods and found some fruits. Not all of them were good for her. She learned that the hard way. Not knowing, she suffered stomach ache and a fever for a few days. On those days, she cried again thinking on how her mother used to sit at her side when she was sick. But she survived through it.

She kept her father's words to heart. She kept safe. But being safe only goes a long way, if you can't feed properly, or live through the hard winter. She had to find a way to survive, to hunt, to find warmer clothes. When faced to a change, certain people are quick to adjust. Aria was one of them. She cried still at night in her bed but during the day she went through the ancestors' database; she learned as much as she could about the planet she was on. She discovered that the Wraiths has arrived thousands of years ago. Attacking the Ancestors that lived in this colony. The database didn't give any more information about the attack but it seemed that the Wraiths had remained on the planet and had been dormant ever since. She knew from experience that they woke up every hundred years or so to replenish their health in a galaxy wide culling of humans. Sometimes the culling would take half of the population maybe more, but enough humans would remain to maintain and grow the population. Sometimes, the entire populations would be taken, leaving behind a ghost town.

There were once people living on this planet. The ancestors established a colony thousands of years ago. But between the numbers of the Wraith growing exponentially and the ancestors leaving the planet, the people were decimated. Taken. All of them. That's what she realized once she found the village. Throughout the years, after she located the dead village., she scavenged and salvaged everything that she judged to be useful to her. There were weapons, clothes, utensils, everything she could use for her own survival. Everything she knew about survival, hunting, fishing, she learned on her own. The little knowledge she had about the ancestors' technology she learned from her parents and the rest she figured it out on her own. Twenty years went by. Twenty years where Aria never set a foot near the Ring. Twenty years where Aria secretly thought her parents would come back for her. Twenty years, she spent surviving the cold, the wraiths and her loneliness.

The Wraiths have been hibernated for the most part of her life. Except maybe for the ones that were awaken to protect those who were in hibernation. On rare occasions, she had crossed paths with them. She survived them. The very first time she encountered them, she must have been fourteen. There was only one, a wraith warrior. As soon as she caught a glimpse of him, she ran as fast as she could. The wraith chased after her. She kept running until she arrived in a small clearing. There was a hollow tree there, large enough for her to hide inside and not be seen by the wraith. The soldier stopped right in front of the hollow tree. She stepped back slowly, counting on the darkness to hide her. She waited. For him to disappear. She waited hours, even after he was gone. When she finally decided to get out, she was cautious making her way back to her home. As she did so, she heard the dart flying over her head. They were flying over towards the forgotten village. She ran in the opposite direction towards her home. She remained hidden there for the rest of the day. She kept the outpost dormant, made no fire; remained quiet. When the dart stopped flying over her head, she judged it safe to wait. She lived an entire week this way. But eventually, she had to leave the safety of her home. From that day on, she decided that hiding was not always the best option. Her future encounters with the wraiths almost cost her, her life. And yet, she survived. She showed to be strong.

The little girl wasn't a girl anymore. She was a woman now. At twenty-eight years old, she stopped hoping for her parents. She was used to her loneliness. Her only companions were the wraith and the ancestors' outpost she was living in. That was until recently. Almost a year ago, she witnessed the Wraiths Hive ship taking off and leaving the planet. She knew it wasn't a good sign but as long as she was rid of the wraiths, she didn't care.

* * *

She was checking her traps that was around her living areas. Picking up the preys that had been caught in her traps during the night. Nothing out of the ordinary for her. Once she had done that, she would go by the river, collect water and returned to her home. Nothing unusual to be expected. And yet….

On her way home, she was met by three strangers and she stop dead in her tracks as she saw them. She was surprised by their presence but most importantly, they were the first humans she has ever come across. The first humans she's ever met, apart from her parents. However, it didn't mean they meant her no harm. Neither did it mean they wanted to hurt her. At first glance they seemed friendly. But they were also armed. Which is, she knew, the right thing to do with the threats of the Wraiths hanging over the whole galaxy.

"You're humans." Was the first thing that came to her mind.

"Yes, we are." One of the men answered her smiling. "I'm Lieutenant-Colonel John Sheppard. Teyla Emmagan." He pointed to the dark-skinned woman. "Dr. Rodney McKay." He pointed to the last member of his group.

"Aria." She stammered. "My name is Aria Victus."

"Nice to meet you, Aria." Colonel Sheppard smiled at her.

Aria did not return his smile. She just stood there, staring at them. And the three strangers stared back. "Maybe, you could take us back to your village." Teyla suggested softly.

Aria snapped out of her stupor. "Of course." She stumbled over her words. "This-this way." She said taking the lead.

She did not correct them when they mention a village. And decided to lead them to the outpost at her own risk. She didn't know where they came from and why they were on her planet. She just knew she had to be cautious around them. She knew she had to be smart.

* * *

"Excuse me but is this…?" McKay started as they stood in front of the facility.

"The Ancestors' outpost." Aria finished for him. "This is where I live." She said before walking towards the entrance of her home.

She put down her bags and took away the cover up she had put in place. Walked in followed by her visitors. They walked the long hallway that led to the control room. Control room in which Aria has been living her entire life. The natural light of the sun was pouring in through the large windows. Some of the console were working, the screens were on with DATA in the language of the ancestors.

"This is definitely Ancient's technology." McKay started as he took a device of his own and started to fiddle with some of the working consoles. "The energy is still running which would suggest a working ZPM but I'll know more once I take some readings."

"You do that." Sheppard nodded at him. "It doesn't seem like there is anyone else in this place."

"Where are the rest of your people, Aria?" Teyla asked her softly as Aria put away her bags.

"There is no one else. Just me." The young woman answered.

"You mean in this city?" Sheppard frowned at her.

"Yes, and on the planet." She continued still putting her supplies away. "Until recently there were wraiths, but even they left." She turned around to see Teyla and Sheppard exchanging a glance. "I'm sorry. I should have mentioned it earlier."

"No problem." Sheppard replied.

"This outpost is much larger than it seems." McKay said his eyes still glued to his device.

"How much?" Teyla asked him.

"Half the size of Atlantis but there's more to it than just this room." McKay continued.

"Well, it's worth checking out." Sheppard stated. "Do you mind if we do?"

"I'll show you." Aria retorted.

"Teyla., you stay with McKay." Teyla nodded at Sheppard. "McKay, try to find more about this place. Anything useful."

* * *

Sheppard followed Aria through the hallway and down a flight of stairs. Unlike the control room this area of the outpost was deprived of any windows. Because those hallways were built underground. They walked in silence at first. Sheppard was looking around him as Aria was observing him. Really looking at him, trying to register every detail. From his spiky hair, his hazel eyes to his lips. John looked down at her and she averted her eyes away quickly.

She cleared her throat. "I heard your friend mention Atlantis. The Ancestors city. Is that where you come from?"

"Until recently, yes." Sheppard answered.

"Not anymore?"

"Unfortunately, it was destroyed by the Wraiths." Sheppard replied.

"I'm sorry that you've lost your home." Aria frowned sadly. "Is it just the three of you, then?"

"Luckily enough, a small group of my people was able to escape before the city was destroyed." Sheppard answered.

"Glad to hear it."

"Tell me, Aria. How long exactly have you been living here?" Sheppard asked her as they entered a large room with, standing in its center, a large console.

"For quite some years." Aria answered as they both walked into the room. Sheppard walked up to the console. "I've been here since I was a child."

"What about the rest of your people? Your family? What happened to them?" Sheppard asked her as he used the console while Aria stood on the other side.

Aria hesitated before answering. "Er…I have lost them years ago." She looked up at him.

"Sorry." Sheppard said.

"It's alright. I've made my peace with it." Aria said "Researches the ancestors were leading." She explained as she stood next to him while he was looking at the DATA on the screen.

"Researches about what?"

"I haven't figure that out, yet." Aria explained. "There's so much to see in this outpost, also…" The structure around them groaned dangerously. "…I avoid this part of the installation as much as possible. Many sections have already caved in." She explained as Sheppard looked up at the ceiling. "The outpost was built underground for the most part. You'd think it be quite solid, being built by the Ancestors but, it's been thousands of years. I suppose it didn't age well."

"It sure sounds like it." Sheppard commented.

"Should we continue?" Aria suggested. Sheppard only nodded and they continue further into the outpost.

* * *

Sheppard and Aria came back to the control room as they met a dead end. Their road was blocked by a mass of fallen rocks. Her three visitors were now standing outside of the outpost. Sharing with each other their founding.

"The ZPM is still operational." McKay explained. "It's not fully charged but it's far from depletion."

"That's good news." Sheppard nodded.

"Yes, and it is right in the center of the outpost." McKay continued.

"That's bad news." Sheppard frowned.

"Why?" Teyla asked him.

"This place is falling apart." Sheppard explained. "According to Aria many sections had already caved in. We were actually stopped by one of them."

"So, we have no way to access the ZPM." Teyla sighed.

"No." Sheppard shook his head. "What else did you find about this place?"

"I was able to determine that it was a research facility. They were studying the people living in the village nearby."

"Village?" Sheppard asked. "She said that she was the only one living on this planet."

"She said that there was a hive ship until recently." Teyla reminded him. "They must have been taken in the last culling or they left."

"Leaving only her behind?" McKay asked doubtful.

"Maybe others have come through the gate. Not knowing that there were Wraiths in this world." Teyla suggested.

"My thoughts exactly." Sheppard agreed.

"Look, that's beside the point." McKay stopped their speculations.

"And what is the point, McKay?" Sheppard asked him.

"The point is that there is a working ZPM in this outpost. A ZPM that we have a use for in Atlantis."

"If we take the ZPM we will leave Aria defenseless." Teyla reasoned with him. "We cannot do that to her."

"Teyla's right. Plus, there's no way to access the ZPM." Sheppard reminded him.

"We can't pass up the opportunity to have an almost fully charged ZPM." McKay argued.

"I know. I know." Sheppard replied.

"If we find a way to the ZPM. What about Aria?" Teyla asked again.

"She said it herself, the Hive ship left the planet." McKay reasoned with her. "Most likely, they won't come back. Especially, if there's no one left here to feed on."

"You don't know that." Teyla argued back. "Wraiths from another Hive may come here. She won't be able to defend herself."

"Alright, we'll figure it out as we go." Sheppard intervened. "I will check in with Dr. Weir, let her know what we found. You and Teyla go back in there and see if you can find a safe way to the ZPM."

* * *

"Like I said to the Colonel Sheppard, the tunnels are unsafe." Aria argued with McKay. "It's only a matter of time before they collapse."

"Like I said, it'll only be a matter of minutes, one hour at most." McKay said back. "We go in, we take the ZPM and we leave. Simple."

"Why is this ZPM so important?" Aria asked this time frustrated. "What is it?"

"Zero Point Module." McKay replied. "Basically, it's a power source created by the Ancients. They are capable to supply incredible amounts of energy…"

"You are speaking of the Potentia." Aria stated.

"How did you call it?" McKay asked her surprised.

"The Potentia." Aria repeated. "That's how my parents referred to it. They had come across mentions of the artefact in the Ancestors' database."

"Right." McKay nodded. "Anyway, my people have a use for it. It's very important to us."

"You said that already." Aria said as Sheppard walked back in the outpost. "I understand how important it is to your people. But this is my only power source. How am I supposed to do without it?"

"The primary system will still be running." McKay answered quickly.

"So, that makes it okay for you to take the…ZPM, as you call it." She countered.

"It doesn't make it okay." Sheppard assured her, glaring at McKay before he could answer. "Whether you allow us to take the ZPM or not is up to you. And we will respect your decision whatever it is."

"We will?" McKay looked at Sheppard.

"Yes, McKay, we will."

Should she agree to it or refuse it? True, it was her only source of energy but she barely used it. And McKay was right, the primary system would still be working, the bare minimum. There were more of them and they probably needed it more than she did. But should she put her own safety at risk for these strangers? She didn't know them, she couldn't trust them. She shouldn't. And yet, she couldn't help but feel hope. She didn't choose to be left on this planet, alone to fend for herself. She didn't want to be left alone again. She even came over the last few months to miss the presence of the wraiths.

She knew that once they would have what they want, they would leave. And she would be alone again. Would she dare to ask them? Would they accept?

Aria walked up to the main console and taped a few keys. One of the screens behind her showed a map of the outpost. "This is the only way to the Potentia." She said as a red line appeared on the map. Going from where the Control room were to their destination. "Not the safest. The _only_ way." She stressed out the word 'only' to make it clear that it would be a dangerous ride. Sheppard, Teyla and McKay came and stood next to her, to have a better look at the map. "That doesn't mean that I have made my choice. I will lead you there but don't get your hopes up."

"We appreciate what you are doing for us, Aria." Teyla said as Aria went to grab her coat and wooden stick. "Thank you."

She tightened her belt pockets around her waist and right thigh. "There's a long way ahead of us. I suggest you get ready. And you can thank me once we get there."

* * *

Aria was walking ahead of them, McKay and Teyla right behind her. Sheppard was closing the march. The steel around them was groaning dangerously. The trek to the ZPM room was mostly quiet. Every now and then, Aria would stop and look around her, making sure they were still on the right way. Checking on the small device that she kept in her hand.

"I thought you knew this place?" McKay asked her.

"After all this time, you think I would." Aria retorted. "But I rarely come here. The first time it seemed safe enough and then," They arrived in a hallway that was blocked. "This part caved in, right in front of me." She said before turning right. "It was enough to convince me not to continue any further or even come back in theses hallways."

"Why now?" Sheppard asked her.

"Because you want the ZPM." She replied.

"Does it mean you are giving it to us?" McKay asked hopefully.

Aria stopped and turned to them. "Maybe." She took a deep breath. "Look, whether I give it to you or not, you're leaving. And I don't want to be left here. Even the Wraiths were better than being alone." She hissed that last part. "Yes, they were trying to kill me and I did kill some of them. But it was an interaction worth having." She paused. "I'm not saying, it was ideal or that I worship them. I'm just saying that it was better than this." She said spreading her arms. "What I'm really trying to say is…"

"…You want to come with us on our planet. In exchange of the ZPM." Sheppard finished for her.

"If leaving is what you want, why didn't you do it before?" Teyla asked her.

"I was waiting." Aria answered.

"Waiting for what?"

"For my parents to come back." Aria retorted, tears gathering in her eyes. "They say they would but never did. At first, I was afraid that if I ever leave this world, they won't find me. And when it was clear they wouldn't be back, I just didn't know where to go. So, I remained." Aria explained. "You promise to take me with you and you have the ZPM."

Teyla and McKay glanced at Sheppard waiting for his answer. "Alright." He said after "We have a deal."

"We should keep going then." Aria smiled and resumed walking.

Now, there was real hope. Her parents abandoned her and she was left to survive alone or most likely left to die. But now, there was hope again. She would soon be part of a new community, with real people around her. She won't have to survive alone. At last. She would be safe.

The steel was groaning even louder in this section. Aria looked up worriedly. She was rethinking this little expedition. It wasn't safe at all for them to be here. Adding to this, was the fact that she never ventured so far in the outpost. The ceiling was threatening to fall upon their heads at any time. Not to mention that they had to go back the same way, once they had their artefact.

"That doesn't sound very good." McKay said anxiously.

"Indeed." Aria agreed. "Let's just keep going."

They continued further until the walls around them started to shake dangerously. Aria looked above her as Sheppard started to shout orders for them to go back. But it was too late as this hallway caved in on them.

"MCKAY!"


	2. Chapter 2

_**Chapter 2**_

 _ **Thanks for reading this story. Thanks to Adela, Cellodir and Elise Deschat for their reviews. Thanks to all the followers and the one who favorited this story.**_

 _ **New Chapter, read, enjoy and review.**_

* * *

Aria rolled on her back and sat up. Where there used to be Colonel Sheppard and Teyla there was a mass of rocks. She looked to her left where McKay was. The latter was sitting up with a groan. He assessed the situation around him before getting to his feet. He then walked up to the mass of rocks and tapped his ear.

"Colonel Sheppard, it's McKay. Come in, please?" He said. Aria got up and went to stand by his side. "Yes, I'm fine. What about Teyla?" McKay asked him. "Good." He sighed in relief. "Aria's here with me. She's alright." McKay stopped talking again.

"Are you talking to Colonel Sheppard?" Aria asked him after watching him talking to himself but he shushed her.

"No, no, no. Moving the rocks would be too dangerous." McKay said instead of answering her.

Aria frowned up as McKay was still talking to himself. He was right moving the rocks would be too dangerous It may cause another event of that sort. On the other hand, the best way for them to escape this place was ironically to keep going further.

"Dr. McKay." She tried but McKay kept ignoring her. "Dr. McKay." Again, McKay ignored her. "McKay!" She snapped this time.

"What?"

"There's a way for us to get out of here." Aria started. "If you're really speaking to Colonel Sheppard and not to yourself, tell him to go to the village."

"What about us?" McKay asked her.

"If you took a look at the outpost map, you probably saw a tunnel that goes all the way through." Aria continued. "It stops right under the village."

"It doesn't mean that we'll find a way out." McKay pointed out.

"True." Aria nodded. "But it's better than staying here, waiting for an answer to fall through."

"Really? You actually think it's a good idea?" McKay asked looking up. "The rest of the complex might be as dangerous as this section. And even if we make it to the tunnel without any trouble. There's still the chance that there's no way out…" McKay suddenly stopped. "No. No better idea." McKay looked down at Aria. "Alright. It's your brilliant idea, so you lead the way."

* * *

With a few scratches on both of their faces, the two of them continued further into the complex. "Were you really speaking to the Colonel Sheppard?" Aria asked as they took a left turn.

"Through radio, yes." McKay answered. "A communication device. Do you know how to get to this tunnel?"

"Roughly." Aria replied. "Like I said I avoid coming here." She wiped the blood off of her forehead. "But don't worry, I'll get us there." She assured McKay, as they stepped into the ZPM storage room. "Take the ZPM and then we'll be on our way."

Aria started rummaging through her bag. She was looking for a torch that she used rarely. A torch that was left behind by her parents. The power shut down in the entire outpost, the moment McKay disconnected the only source of power. McKay and Aria switched on their torch and resumed their walking.

"How do you know we're going in the right direction?" McKay asked her.

"I like to think I have good memory" Aria answered. She looked around. Being in the dark made it a little harder to find their way out. But Aria knew her way. "Plus, I have this." She showed the device she was using.

"This is a life signs detector." McKay rolled his eyes.

"Yes, a life signs detector." Aria grinned widely at him.

"Why would you need this? I thought there wasn't anybody else." McKay asked worriedly.

"There isn't. Force of habit, you may say." Aria replied. "At least, we are sure that we are alone."

"Well, I feel reassured." McKay said sarcastically. But his sarcasm rolled off of Aria as she smiled up at him. Glad that he felt reassured by her.

* * *

The walls and the ceilings groaned and moaned as they kept on going through the outpost. Hoping that the tunnel and their only way out won't be blocked.

"How did you know to come here?" Aria asked McKay as they made their way through the dark.

McKay exhaled. "We were hoping to establish some sort of trade arrangements, with the people living on this planet. You know, a good neighbor relationship."

"I don't know." Aria shook her head. "I haven't left this planet in years."

A big rumble was heard nearby. McKay's head whipped around to look behind them. "Was that what I think it was?"

"Another section caved in." Aria confirmed looking on.

McKay looked down at the young woman. "That seemed to come from behind us, right?"

"I hope so." Aria said worriedly. "Let's keep going."

* * *

They walked on, quietly. But they were both thinking of the inevitable lack of oxygen. Aria was aware that they needed to get out of this complex. She knew it was a bad idea, she knew they shouldn't have come so far in the outpost. But the fear of being alone again, pushed her to accept. She knew the risks and she took them there, anyway. And now McKay and she were trapped in those dark hallways.

It couldn't be more than three hours that they were underground. They've been walking in the dark for at least forty-five minutes. Twenty more minutes and they would finally reach the tunnel. And soon, she could start her new life. Soon, she would be away from this planet. This planet that only reminded her that she was rejected, abandoned, not wanted by her own flesh and blood. By her own parents. Left to die. Once, Aria Victus would leave this planet. She would start over. She would be surrounded. She would no longer be alone.

* * *

After a few breaks that McKay had demanded they made, they finally reached the tunnel. At least, There won't be any turns to take. It was one straight line. It wasn't even a long corridor. They reached the end of the corridor fairly quickly. In front of them, now stood a flight of stairs.

"This is good. This is good." McKay said with some relief.

"It is?" Aria asked him confused.

"That means there's a door." He said climbing the stairs before her.

Aria followed him up the steps. "We still have a problem, though."

"And what would that be?" McKay asked her as they reached the top of the stairs. There was another hallway that led to a closed door.

"Without power it won't open." Aria said as they both stood in front of door.

"I might have forgotten this little problem." McKay said glancing down at her.

"And you said I would have primary system, still." Aria sassed back.

"This is not how it works." McKay replied. "The primary systems concern mainly the main control room and the vital systems of the outpost."

"Like the lights?" Aria countered. "Because frankly, I doubt that." She said gesturing to the lights that were out.

"Do you know how old this outpost is?" McKay argued. "There is a big chance that the city won't be entirely operational."

"Didn't seem to bother you before." Aria shrugged turning to the door. She then started to rummage through her bag.

"What are you doing?" McKay asked her.

"I have no intention to stay here. There's no energy but if we can get the door to move..." She pulled, something that resemble a stainless crowbar, out of her satchel bag.

"…we can open it." McKay wiggled his index finger at her. "Good idea."

"Hold this." Aria all but pushed her staff in his hands.

Then, she jammed the piece of metal through the interstice. She pushed on the crowbar, forcing the door to open. With a slight groan, the door moved. Aria heard McKay call for Colonel Sheppard through his radio. Soon, she would leave this planet. It was a relief. As though, she had been drowning for twenty years., gasping for air desperately. This would be over. She would finally get out of the water. Safe and breathing.

Not completely safe. The backdoor to the outpost was hidden in the largest house in the abandoned village. Aria had scavenged this house for many years, collecting what she needed. Clothes, utensils, thick linens for her winter nights. And more. She had never noticed it or even paid attention to it. For her, the curtain was there for decoration purposes.

Nevertheless, McKay and Aria weren't completely safe. McKay couldn't reach Sheppard and Teyla. Which worried him. They were both convinced that they had been able to escape the complex. They should be responding to his calls and yet they didn't.

As they neared the door, Aria caught a glimpse of newcomers. She pulled McKay out of sight and hid behind the wall. Men composed the group. All of them wore military clothes.

"Friends of yours?" Aria asked McKay.

"No." McKay whispered back. "This is bad. This is very bad."

"Yes, it is." Aria retorted. "All we have to do is wait for them to leave."

"I thought no one, except for you, lives on this planet." McKay hissed at her. "For all we know, you could have been lying to us. Those people could be your friends."

"Yes, no one lives here. You and your friends are the first humans I've seen in a very long time." She peered from behind the wall. "I think I know why they didn't respond." She said to McKay.

Teyla and Sheppard were held captives by the strangers. They had heavy weaponry, other devices they used to scan their environment. The weapons Colonel Sheppard and Teyla had on them, were now in the hands of their captors.

"We need to get out of here." Aria said moving away from the door and rushing to the left side of the house.

"Wait! Aria!" McKay called her as quietly as possible. "We're not leaving them here."

"We don't know who they are. They could kill us." Aria said. She opened the small door, put a finger to her lips. Asking McKay to be quiet. She peered around the corner. She pulled him with her as they ran away from the village.

"Or them." McKay countered on their way to the woods. "There is no way we're leaving without them."

"Going back there is not safe." Aria argued. They had walked from the village. Leaving Sheppard and Teyla to their fate. "They're humans. We don't know what they want."

"Getting the ZPM wasn't safe either but you did it." McKay reminded her.

"That was different." Aria retorted. Not stopping.

"Alright. Listen, you and Colonel Sheppard made a deal in exchange of the ZPM, we take you back with us. But this can't happen without him. If you want to leave this planet, we need to go and get Sheppard and Teyla back."

Aria stopped and turned to him. It was true, she had made a deal with Colonel Sheppard. It was her chance of getting away. But confronting those people could get her killed. She had to be safe. It was not as if she was fighting Wraiths that she unfortunately encountered. The decision was clear. It was for survival. It was the smart choice.

* * *

The smart choice here was painfully obvious to her. She had to run away from those humans and hide. It was true that she willingly walked in the dangerous and unstable undergrounds. But she had one goal in mind. She wanted to leave this planet. What if she left Sheppard behind? Did it really mean she couldn't leave? But if she went back for them, she would be putting her life in danger. Could she do this? What was the smart choice? What was the safest option?

It was not about being safe or smart anymore, Aria realized. It was about what she truly wanted. And what she truly wanted, what she had wanted for years, was to leave this planet. To not be alone anymore. To have a new home. Saving Sheppard and Teyla would lead her to what she needed. A new home.

Aria never thought in a million years that she would run into danger. That she would risk her life. Twice in a day. There were two guards keeping watch over Sheppard and Teyla. A third one was looking at their weapons Two others kept their eyes on their screens. And the last three were roaming the village.

Aria threw a silver ball. It landed with a heavy thud next to the nearest soldier. He was one of the three that was roaming the village. He was also the furthest away from Sheppard's and Teyla's position. Blinding light exploded from the silver ball. The soldier covered his eyes and landed on his side. His fellow soldiers came to his rescue. Aria, who had her goggles on, shot them with her stunner. A stunner that she had taken from a wraith. She also stunned the man lying on the ground.

The two man with their devices, pulled out their weapons. Dropping their devices, left hanging at their hips. As Aria rounded behind one of the houses. Out of sight. McKay was waiting for her behind the house, nearest to Sheppard and Teyla. The soldiers went to their unconscious friends. The guards remained in their position but looked over at their friends. Sheppard and Teyla were looking around them. They were sitting on the ground, back to back, tied to each other.

Aria was smart. She knew that there must be more soldiers than that. She also knew that she didn't want to stick around to find out. McKay and she crawled closer. Aria quickly saw one of them talked to a small black box on their way to their friends. As they got nearer, one of the guards was doing the same thing.

"Yes, sir." He finished as McKay and Aria reached them.

Aria stunned them like she did the other three. It alerted the other two. They shot at them immediately. Aria ducked as McKay freed Sheppard and Teyla.

"What took you so long?" Sheppard asked McKay, rubbing his wrists.

"Oh, I'm sorry but were you stuck in an underground outpost?" McKay retorted back.

"Yeah, yeah." Sheppard dismissed him. "We need to disappear before their friends join the party"

"They, too, are here for the ZPM." Teyla added.

Sheppard was the first to be free. He crawled to the makeshift table nearby. Table on which their weapons were laid out.

"How did they know about it?" Aria asked them.

"No idea." Sheppard retorted. He aimed his weapon at the two remaining soldiers and so, did Teyla. And fired. "McKay, Aria, Go! We'll be right behind you." He ordered them.

McKay was the first to go. Aria slightly hesitated but she followed him. Behind them, there was an exchange of fires. Where was the rest of them? Aria thought as she followed McKay through the woods. She knew that Sheppard and Teyla were right behind her. Firing at the strangers. Aria had no idea that she had something so valuable within reach. Didn't know that so many people were looking for it. Did their people need it too? Right at this moment, she didn't care. All she cared about was to run away from the soldiers.

* * *

Reinforcements were expected in the village. The four escapees knew that they had to leave this planet Sheppard's team and Aria had outrun the two soldiers pursuing them, thanks to Aria's knowledge of the woods. She knew where to go to hide and wait. She had played this game of hide and seek with the Wraiths many times before. The Ancestors' Ring would most likely be guarded.

"I supposed they are in the outpost." Aria said as they trekked through the woods. "Since they are looking for the ZPM."

"Yeah, sorry about that." Sheppard apologized.

"I wasn't particularly attached to the place." Aria retorted. "Soon, they will realize that the ZPM is no longer there. I suggest we leave before it happens."

"I second that." McKay said.

"How many were they?" Aria asked them.

"Does it really matter how many they are." McKay retorted to her.

"Not really but I like to know what I'm up against." Aria said.

"A party of twelve, maybe more. Most of them were sent to the village." Teyla explained "I don't think their leader can send more men as reinforcements."

"There we are." Aria said crouching down behind a tree. The Ancestor's Ring were in sight. No more than two men were guarding it.

"Now what?" McKay said.

"Aria, do you have any of those grenades left?" Sheppard asked her.

"Yes." She said digging through her bag. She pullet out two silver balls, identical to the one she used before.

Sheppard took one from Aria. "What else do you have in that bag?"

"Oh, well, many things. Grenades, some gadgets I'm working on, crystals. Mainly things for my survival." Aria answered.

"Teyla and I will cover you. Dial the gate and make a run for it." Sheppard instructed to McKay. "We'll be right behind you."

Sheppard threw the silver ball in the air. The sun reflection on the ball caught the attention of the two soldiers near the gate. It landed near them with a heavy thud. Within seconds it had exploded. They both fell on their backs. Sheppard, McKay, Teyla and Aria made a run for the gate. The explosion drew the attention of others. They came rushing out of the outpost. McKay was already dialing the gate. The soldiers fired at them. McKay and Aria hid behind the console. Four symbols were already engaged. Sheppard and Teyla returned fire.

The vortex opened. McKay and Aria went through. Followed closely by Sheppard and Teyla. Aria didn't have time to contemplate the fact that it was the first time that she was going through the gate. She didn't have time to second guess herself. She walked right through the gate and came to a stop on the other side.

Colonel Sheppard had lied to her. The Ancestors' City hadn't been destroyed in a Wraith attack. It was still standing and alive. And the small group was larger than Sheppard led her to believe. The City was full of people of all kinds. Scientists, soldiers, engineers. It was full of life.

* * *

Sitting in the infirmary, Aria's blood had been taken by Dr. Beckett. Dr. Elizabeth Weir, leader of the expedition, stood before her. Sheppard, Teyla and McKay stood next to her.

"I hope you understand why we're doing all of this?" Dr. Weir asked her.

"Yes. You're being safe." Aria nodded.

"Exactly." Dr. Weir confirmed. "Aria, I know what you did for my people. We are very thankful."

"Colonel Sheppard and I made a deal." Aria simply said. "I was just holding my end of the bargain."

"And you're welcome here for as long as you wish." Sheppard said.

"Thank you." Aria replied smiling. Sheppard's words did not satisfy her. 'As long as you wish,' meant that there'd come a day where she would have to leave. But to go where?

Aria was anxious, now. She had left this place on which she had felt alone and abandoned. On which she had felt as she couldn't breathe at times. She couldn't breathe because of the pain, because of the doubts. She thought-she hoped that she could finally breathe on this new world. In this new city, surrounded by those people. But she was afraid to do so. Her staying here wasn't definitive. She was welcomed but for how long.

* * *

On her knees, in front of her new bed, her belongings were spread before her. It was mainly gadgets that she used for her survival. Grenades that she used before, small crystals and regular ones, other devices that she was working on and her life signs detector. Three knocks sounded on her door.

When she opened the door, Teyla was standing on the other side.

"May I come in?" Teyla smiled softly.

"Please." Aria let her in.

"How do you like your new room?" Teyla asked her.

"It is beautiful." Aria replied. "Better than anything I had before."

"I'm glad to hear it." Teyla said. "I thought you might love to have some fresh clothes." Teyla handed her the clean clothes she was holding in her arms.

"It's the same clothes that everyone is wearing." Aria said looking at them. "Does the color mean anything?"

"They indicate our status and function in Atlantis." Teyla explained.

"Does that mean that you have the same status as Dr. Weir?" Aria asked putting the clothes on her bed.

"No. I am an ambassador for my people." Teyla explained. "Dr. Weir is the Leader of this expedition and thus of Atlantis." Aria looked at the color patches on her uniform and looked questioningly at Teyla. "It doesn't have to mean anything, if you don't want it to."

"So, you are not from their world?" Aria asked her, sitting down.

"I came from a world named Athos." Teyla answered sitting in the chair facing Aria. "Unfortunately, it was attacked by the Wraith. Dr. Weir has offered us shelter and a new home."

"A new home." Aria repeated. "I hope it will be."

"Aria, back on your world, you mentioned your parents. Did they disappear in the last culling?" Teyla asked her.

"No." Aria shook her head. "The last culling on this world happened thousands of years ago. Long before I arrived there." She explained. "I came from a world called Elba. My parents were respected scientists among my people." Teyla listened attentively. Not interrupting her. Sensing that the young woman hadn't talked about her parents in a long time. "They studied the Ancestors technology, visiting different sites and worlds. They would always take me with them. Because of my gift."

"Your gift?"

"It allows me to use the ancestors' technology. It also made it easier to collect data." Aria continued. "One day, they took me to this world. It wasn't the first time. We've been there before. But this time, they left me behind. With instructions and empty promises." She looked down at her lap. "And I've been waiting for their return ever since."

"Aria, I'm sure Dr. Weir would be more than happy to help you go back to your homeworld." Teyla suggested. "If this is what you wish."

"I don't remember the address to my world." Aria said apologetically. "I was too young then."

"It doesn't mean that you may never go back. Maybe, one day you will reunite with your people." Teyla smiled.

"Maybe." Aria retorted. "But until then, I will stay here."


	3. Chapter 3

_**Chapter 3**_

 _ **Thanks for reading this story. Thanks to Elise Deschat, to Adela, to Astrida for their reviews. Thanks to all the followers and the one who favorited this story.**_

 _ **New Chapter, read, enjoy and review.**_

* * *

Blue, red, green, yellow, black. Aria had gone through them all. Looking for the one color that would fit her. Thus, she chose to wear blue. The color that all scientists staff wore. The color that McKay wore. Dr. Rodney McKay was an astrophysicist. Working constantly on the Ancestors technology, leading new experimentations, creating new devices. The sort of things that Aria had done her entire life. If she was to stay, that would most likely to be her function.

Two guards were assigned to her. Not for her own safety but for the safety of others. They were to guard her, make sure she was not posing a threat. She didn't mind. On the contrary, she understood. It was safe for them. Not that she was much of a threat. She wouldn't try anything against them. This place was too important for her and they had saved her. And for this, she would forever be grateful. She would never risk that.

The years she had spent, surviving in the ancestors' outpost, had been empty. Empty of love, empty of people, empty of company. She had been alone. And loneliness was a burden. Atlantis had been different. It was full of people, full of life. There was plenty of company and between the people, there were real friendship. They had affections for one another. And yet, as full of people as Atlantis could be, Aria still felt the burden of loneliness. And against it, what could she do? Not much.

* * *

He landed on the floor with a thud. She was breathing hard as much as he was. Sweat covering their bodies. She was smiling broadly. She helped him up.

"It was good." She complimented him. "Although, next time, I suggest that you do not let your guard down. This could make the difference."

She noticed Aria in the doorway. Teyla dismissed her students upon seeing the young woman. As her students left, she silently invited the redhead to join her.

"Were you teaching how to fight?" Aria asked as she stepped in and walked the students leave.

"Yes. Young Athosians." Teyla answered. "It's necessary for them to know how to defend themselves. It's as vital as knowing how to hunt among my people."

"I thought Atlantis provided them with protection and safety?" Aria frowned up.

"And they do. But sometimes we do visit other worlds. For trading." Teyla continued. "It's not always in a safe environment."

"It makes sense." Aria nodded.

"What about you?" Teyal continued. "I've noticed that you have a fighting staff."

"It was a necessity and vital." Aria replied. "Except that I'm not good at it. And no one taught me."

"Let me be the judge of that." Teyla handed her a staff.

* * *

There were no trees to use to her advantage. The environment was different. Bare. Teyla was much more skilled than Aria. Aria wasn't that terrible. The young woman revealed herself to be a good observer and a quick leaner. After their fourth go at it, she was able to stand her ground. She would ultimately be the one to lose but it took longer for Teyla to succeed.

She fell on her back once again. Aria remained there, catching her breath. Teyla extended her hand to the redhead. Aria gripped her hand and Teyla pulled her up.

"You are very capable, Aria." Teyla smiled.

"Thank you." Aria smiled back. "I suppose I wasn't that bad of a teacher."

"Neither were you a bad student." Teyla replied.

"Can we do it again?" Aria asked her.

"With pleasure." Teyla nodded. "We may discuss it during lunch?"

"Of course."

"At the mess? In 30 minutes?"

"Alright."

* * *

Life on Atlantis was very much different. And it was good.

Her days in the city was mostly spent between sparring, seeing as much of the city as she could, working sometimes with Zelenka. And occasionally, McKay would join them.

Some days after her arrival, Dr. Weir decided that she no longer needed to be followed by guards. Aria was an honorary member of the expedition for as long as she was living in the city. As an honorary member of the expedition, she was working with Zelenka and McKay. Of course, she did not know the first thing about physics. But when it came to the Ancient's technology, adding to the fact that she had the gene, she came with fresh eyes.

She was still struggling to function around so many people. There were times where she felt crowded. For the girl who wanted to see other faces than her own. To hear other voices than her own. It was too much. And yet, there were days where she couldn't stand it. Where it was too much. Times where she needed to get away from the people.

When she felt crowded, breathing would get harder, her heart hammered against her ribcage and she spiraled down into a dark pit of fear. Fear of having taken the wrong decisions. Fear that she would never fit with these people. Fear that they would one day abandon her, just like her parents did.

When these would occur, she would sit on the edge of the piers. No more unknown faces, no more unheard voices. Just her and the vastness of the sea. It was calming. It was comforting. It was safe.

* * *

"Aria?" Colonel Sheppard called her. She was on her way to the mess.

"Colonel Sheppard." She turned around as he caught up to her. "Is everything alright?"

"They're great." He replied as he silently invited her to walk with him. "So, listen, I'm taking Teyla and Dr. Beckett to the continent tomorrow. I thought that it would be a good occasion to teach you how to pilot the Jumper."

"It's Ancestors' technology. I think I can pilot one of them without any training." Aria answered confidently.

Sheppard smirked up. "Let me be the judge of that." Aria looked up at him. "Tomorrow, 10 A.M sharp, Jumper bay?"

"Sure." Aria nodded.

* * *

It was true, it was Ancestors technology. She had learned from a very young age that using and activating the Ancestors' technology came naturally to her. It was instinctual. She didn't see the use in her learning how to pilot a Jumper. Plus, she hadn't been assigned to any team, it didn't seem that she would go on an off-world mission, anytime soon. However, she didn't want to pass up on the occasion to leave Atlantis for a few hours.

At 10 A.M, she was waiting in the Jumper Bay. Her satchel bag across her shoulders. Her wooden staff in her right hand. She stepped in Jumper three, after Colonel Sheppard. Teyla was out of her usual uniform. She was wearing, what Aria would call, her civilian clothes. As for Dr. Beckett, he was carrying a huge bag that was containing his medical supplies.

The Jumper reacted to their presence lightning up as they walked in. Teyla and Beckett put away their bags as Aria, hesitantly, sat in the pilot chair. Sheppard took the co-pilot seat, the two seats that were left, were now occupied by Teyla and Dr. Beckett.

Aria looked at the controls panel in front of her. Forced to admit that she may need a pointer or two. She let her hand hover the button closest to her. She glanced up at Sheppard for any signs but he Just smirked at her in return. She squinted at him. She hovered her hand above another button, the one directly next to the one closest to her. And pressed it. The cargo bay door closed behind them.

"Lucky guess." Sheppard grumbled.

She could have asked him but the smirk he wore discouraged her. She was too stubborn to admit that she may have overestimated her abilities. Like he said, it was a lucky guess.

"Alright, you already know that the Ancient technology is all about instinct," Sheppard continued, "as if it is reading your mind. But it is easier to use the control sticks when you're learning how to fly it." Aria grabbed a hold of the clear control sticks. The engine powered up. "Think about hovering into the air." As soon as the thought crossed her mind, the Jumper shook and she felt it come off the ground. Sheppard hit the button closest to radio up the Control Room. "Flight this is Jumper Three. We are going for bay launch."

A few seconds later, a reply came through. _"Jumper Three, you're good to go."_

"You pull them down to go up. Push them up to go down and side-to-side for left and right. And think about moving forward. Understood?" Sheppard said and Aria nodded. "Alright, Aria, take us out."

She flew the Jumper out of the hangar and it soared through the sky. It was as easy as she thought it would be. But she didn't imagine that it would be as exciting as it felt.

"Keelah, this is fantastic." Aria exclaimed.

She wondered how long it would take for them to reach the mainland. Readings appeared on the window before her. It showed their position, Atlantis behind them, and traced a course to the settlement. Twenty to twenty-five minutes. That was how long it would take.

"You're a natural, lass." Dr. Beckett commented.

"I know." Aria replied. "See, I told you I didn't need any training."

"Still, I wanted to see how good you were with using the Ancient technology." Sheppard explained.

"You have no shortage of people with the g…ancient gene on Atlantis. They all can use the ancient technology."

"Not as easily as you or Colonel Sheppard." Teyla said. "It asks a great deal of concentration for most."

"Oh." Aria let out.

"Has it always been that easy for you?" Dr. Beckett asked her.

"As easy as breathing." Aria nodded.

As easy as breathing, that was how it has always been for her, since the first day she was exposed to the Ancestors' technology. There were others like her on her homeworld, she sometimes remembered. Although, she seemed to recall that no adults above the age of eighteen had the gift. The eldest she knew had the gift was barely fifteen.

The gift, was more than just a gift, it was part of her DNA. Something she was born and would die with. It doesn't just disappear when you grow old or because it stopped being used. It wasn't something that you could lost or fade away, as she was led to believe by her parents. So, why no one above eighteen had the gift? What had happened to them? She didn't know and she would probably never find out.

The Athosian camp was as alive as Atlantis. Men and women working together, going on with their daily chores. Children playing, chasing after each other. It was a large settlement by the woods. It was as alive as Atlantis and yet it was different. It was an open place. She wouldn't feel crowded here. And if she did, she could just go to the woods. Go hunting or fishing, she would be free.

But she was free on Atlantis, she'd always been free. Physically, at least she was. This burden that loneliness was and sometimes this anger and resentment she felt towards her parents, made her feel trapped. Made her feel that no matter what she did or went, she couldn't escape this feeling. And she tried.

She had been introduced to Teyla's people. Halling who was the closest to Teyla, greeted her in the way his people did. He touched forehead with Aria. And she drank tea with him, Teyla and his son, Jinto. Dr. Beckett went around the settlement, for his medical visits and to vaccine children. As for Sheppard, he wore his sunglasses and followed them before he disappeared out of their sights.

The Athosians had welcomed her with open arms. They were very warm and very loving. Something that she had been lacking for two decades. Maybe this could be her home one day. She was sure than the Athosians would welcome her. Like they did on that day.

* * *

"There you are." Colonel Sheppard said coming from behind her.

"Colonel Sheppard." She smiled at him when he approached her. She was looking out at the woods.

"You miss it?" He asked her.

"Sometimes." She answered. "I mean I love living in Atlantis but I miss being able to go out to the woods whenever I want."

"Well, the mainland is not that far away from the city. You can always come here." Sheppard suggested.

"True." Aria smiled.

"Speaking of, have you thought about what you wanna do in the future?" Sheppard asked her.

"I know that my stay in Atlantis is only temporary. But as of right now, I have no idea."

"It doesn't have to be, you know?" Aria glanced up at him. "Temporary." He took a deep breath. "What I'm saying is that you're not afraid of a fight, you can handle yourself and you survived McKay." He continued. "We could use someone like you."

"Are you offering me a place to stay?" Aria asked not truly believing what she was hearing.

"The choice is still yours." Sheppard nodded. Aria remained quiet. "You don't have to decide now. All I'm asking you is to think about it."

* * *

"Teyla?" Aria called at the end of their sparring session.

"Yes?"

"Your people has been very kind to me." Aria started. "Very welcoming."

"They were really glad to meet you, Aria." Teyla smiled.

Aria smiled back. "I was wondering…should I ever leave Atlantis…would your people…"

"We would be honored to have you as one of us, Aria." Teyla reassured her. Aria smiled in relief. "Although, I thought that you loved living in Atlantis?"

"I do and Colonel Sheppard offered me to stay but…I don't know if I can fit."

"Aria, Dr. Weir and Colonel Sheppard believe that you could be of great help to us." Teyla told her. "In the past few days, you have been working with Dr. Zelenka and Dr. McKay. And you have shown a great ability using the Ancestors' technology." Teyla reminded her. "If you choose to stay, you could help us in our fight against the Wraiths."

"Why did you choose to stay?" Aria asked her.

"Atlantis is the best hope that my people have."

Hope. For Teyla and her people. It was hope for Aria. Hope to be part of a community, with real people around her. She wasn't really happy. She was lonely still and, on some days, she was overwhelmed. She didn't feel safe. She was supposed to be. And she was, inside those walls. Why didn't she feel that way?

* * *

There was a newcomer. Ronon Dex, Satedan, Runner. She knew that Colonel Sheppard had come back and taken Dr. Beckett with him. As a Runner, Ronon had been chased by the Wraiths for years. For their amusement or for training. No one really knows. They helped Ronon escape the Wraiths that were chasing him by removing the tracking device in his back. In return, he helped capture Ford. One of the members of the expedition that had left the city. That's all Aria knew.

His planet was gone. His people were gone. All in the last culling. He was alone. The last one.

He was sitting alone at his table in the mess. His guards always close to him. She walked up to his table and sat across him. He barely looked at her.

"I'm Aria…Aria Victus." She introduced herself.

"Ronon Dex." He said, eating still.

"I know." Aria replied. "I've heard about your homeworld. I'm sorry this happened to you and your people." He only shrugged. "I'm new here too." She continued. "I don't have a homeworld to go back to either." He glanced up at her. "My story is different but I thought that since we have this in common, we could be friends…or at least talk." He just looked at her as if considering her words. "Or maybe you'd rather be alone?—You know what I'll just leave." She stood up and took her trays, feeling stupid for even trying.

"It's fine." He grunted.

"What?"

"You can stay." He said. And Aria grinned and sat back down. And they ate in comfortable silence.

* * *

Colonel Sheppard and his team just came back from another mission. Aria knew because she was on her way to the mess when they wheeled McKay to the infirmary. What had happened to him? She stopped by the Lab and there she learned what happened. A Wraith dart had taken McKay and Lieutenant Cadman before being taken down. Thus, damaging the ship. They were able to bring McKay back but Cadman was still in there. So, she offered her help.

She had never worked on Wraiths technology before. That was a first. She knew as much as Zelenka when it came to this technology. Not much. She had learned from a young age to stay away from it and she had. And now she was standing next to one, studying it.

It didn't look very pretty or smell really good. And as for the technology, it used neural interface as much as the Ancestors did. No shield capabilities, the weaponry was mostly basic. Nothing really impressive. Except maybe, Aria had to admit it, for the dematerializer interface which could store living people.

Their goal was to get enough power to rematerialize Cadman. Without damaging it further.

Easier said than done.

* * *

"How is it coming?" Sheppard asked. Zelenka and Aria actively working on the dart.

"The good news is we were able to stabilize the life sign signature." Zelenka answered. "Now is just a question of getting the machine online again."

"Great. How do we power it up?" Sheppard asked.

"Here comes the bad news." Aria started walking towards a computer, Zelenka and Sheppard joining her there. "The machine uses a very specialized transformer to convert raw power into highly stable, very specific stream of power."

"Now the transformer is crucial in operating the machine safely and it's…" Zelenka presented a tray with fried broken pieces. "…been damaged."

"Don't suppose there are any spare in the trunk?" Aria entered the data she had collected in the computer.

"We're working on reverse engineering one." Zelenka informed him.

"Good. Let me know the second you have something."

Aria nodded and with Zelenka went back to work. They tried hooking up one of their own generators but it turned out to be dangerous bet.

And then, something strange happened.

McKay had woken up. And apparently, he was not the only one. Against all beliefs, the Lieutenant Cadman was not trapped in the dart but trapped inside McKay's mind. Something went wrong because her consciousness had been downloaded into McKay's body.

"Oh, nice work!" McKay said sarcastically looking at the fried and broken pieces of the transformer.

"We were running out of power. I knew hardly anything about the machine." Zelenka explained himself. "Who would have thought this could be one of the side effects?"

"So, instead of waiting to understand what it was you were doing, you just sort of mashed on the keyboard hoping something would happen!" McKay shot back.

"Well, you're alive, aren't you?" Zelenka countered.

"He doesn't know how to fix it." McKay said.

"What?"

"I'm talking to her!"

"You can hear her thoughts?" Dr. Weir asked him.

"No, not her thoughts, thank God." He replied. "I can hear when she's speaking…when she's trying to speak."

Dr. Weir leaned over to Dr. Beckett. "Are you sure he should have been discharged from the infirmary, Carson?"

"According to the MRI, he's as healthy as he ever was." Carson answered.

"Well, we can't all be track stars, now, can we?" McKay said, apparently speaking to Cadman. "It was her again." He added for the benefit of the people surrounding him.

Sheppard leaned over to Beckett. "Maybe, there's something wrong an MRI wouldn't pick up, if you know what I mean."

"I'm not crazy. I just have another consciousness in my brain." McKay told him.

"So, he just looks crazy."

"I'm sure I do, but only because Doctor Fumbles McStupid over here was in way over his head!" McKay snapped.

"Yes, yes, I made a mistake trying to save YOUR life." Zelenka retorted. "Now, do you want to try to fix it, or do you want to continue to berate me some more?"

"I'm perfectly capable of doing both at the same time." McKay said. "Now, I assume you've tried to run one of our own generators on it?"

"We did." Aria spoke. "But it's not that simple. We need it to interface with the Wraith machine in real time. It's too unstable."

"The power fluctuations are, are, are, huge. If we overshoot just a little…" Zelenka started to fiddle with the device in his hand. "…we're screwed up."

"Yeah, yeah." McKay replied, slightly distracted. "Um, I'm sure if we can maybe run an interface program that will take care of all the…" He was focusing to formulate his ideas. "Here's what I want us to try…We'll take a…Naquadah generator…and…and…YES! WHAT?!" He suddenly snapped. The room went quiet as all the physicists looked up and stopped whatever they were doing. Shocked by his outburst. "Well, stop asking stupid questions."

"Rodney." Dr. Beckett said concerned.

"I will get you out of here, okay?" Rodney continued. "Now, just be a good little girlie and keep quiet." McKay paused. "And do you a degree in physics? Well, what about mechanical engineering?"

"Rodney?" Elizabeth called.

"YES!" He snapped before catching himself. "Sorry. I'm sorry. What, please?"

"Why don't we let Aria and Zelenka handle this?" Dr. Weir suggested to the scientist.

"I'm fine." He assured her.

"No. You're not." Sheppard told him.

"And I'd like you to talk to Doctor Heightmeyer." Dr. Weir continued.

"I think it'd be more useful if I was…" Rodney started.

"Rodney. I'm not asking you."

"Fine." And he left the hangar.

* * *

Aria and Zelenka had gone back to work. Working on a way to reverse engineering the wraith machine. Many simulations had been done but none really guaranteed success. Hours had passed by and they had made no progress, still. Frustrated, Aria had left the hangar. Just to rest her mind.

Numbers, calculations, simulations were all that she could think about. How would they power the Wraith machine without damaging it further? It was hard to come up with an answer. Cadman's fate was uncertain.

* * *

"Dr. Weir?" Aria stood in Elizabeth's office doorway. "May I have a moment?"

"Have you and Dr. Zelenka found a solution?" Elizabeth asked, silently inviting her in.

"No. The real issue is to power it up but we haven't figured out how to stabilize it." Aria quickly explained as she sat down. "But that's not why I came."

"Why did you come, then?" Elizabeth smiled, clasping her hands together.

"I don't know if you are aware but Colonel Sheppard offered me to join your expedition."

"He mentioned it. Yes." Elizabeth nodded. "I was also led to believe that you haven't made up your mind, yet. I understand it is a rather big decision. So, if you need more time to decide…"

"I don't…need any more time." Aria sighed. "If the offer still stands, I would love to join you."

"And we would love to have you, Aria." Aria smiled at Elizabeth. "I will inform Colonel Sheppard of your decision."

Aria stood up, smiling. "Alright…I'm going back to work." She turned to leave.

"Aria." Elizabeth called behind her.

"Yes?"

"Welcome to Atlantis."

* * *

McKay stormed off as Aria came in. She frowned at his back before walking into the hangar.

"What happened here?" Aria asked Zelenka.

"McKay tried to power up the machine but as you can see, it didn't go well." Zelenka grumbled.

"Did he damage it further?" She asked him.

"Luckily, no." Zelenka sighed.

"Can I see what he tried to do?"

And they went back to work. Through the entire night up to the next morning. And through the entire day. And after an entire day of simulations. Zelenka and Aria had finally made some progress. Progress that maybe the solution to get Cadman out.

Zelenka had called Dr. Weir, Colonel Sheppard and Dr. McKay to the hangar.

"We've been running simulations all day." Zelenka said. "I think we may finally have something. We were able to get the generator to run on a buffer loop which tricks the Dart into taking only the power that it needs without overloading."

"Great. Good thinking. Can we, just, see it?" McKay urged Zelenka biting his nails.

"Anxious?" Elizabeth asked him.

"Yes."

"Okay. Firing." Two mice were to be used for the experiment. They were placed in front of the beam. They disappeared into the beam. "Alright, life signs holding steady. Now, rematerialization initiated."

The mice reappeared. "Now, I'm no scientist but those mice used to be a different color." Sheppard commented seeing the two carbonized mice.

"Keelah." Aria said under her breath, her eyes falling shut.

"This is never gonna end!" McKay exclaimed. "I'm gonna be stuck like this forever!"

* * *

Aria had call it a night and went to bed. The buffer loop was good idea. It was Zelenka's and she really thought that it would work but they had failed. The situation was still the same.

There was a new development. McKay had a seizure, two consciousness couldn't coexist in one body. Whoever had to let go, would disappear. It was either McKay or Cadman. They had to find a way. And fast.

She sat in the hangar running another simulation with Zelenka. Staring at the screen while turning over one of her crystals in her right hand. Zelenka cussed in his native tongue.

"Another failure." Aria puffed out, turning her eyes to her crystal. The ancestors used them in almost every one of their devices. The Jumpers, the sensors, the console, the Ancestors' Ring… "The Ring."

"What?"

"I mean the Gate." Aria corrected. "It uses the same principle as the Dart. It dematerializes you, store your data, transfer them to the next one. And then, rematerializes you on the other side."

Zelenka looked at her with a frown before it dawned on him. "If we could take one of the crystal control modules from the Gate and interface it with the Dart…"

"We should be able to build a safer system." Aria finished for him. "Exactly what we need."

"This could work."

"I go get the crystals." Aria quickly said and rushed out of the hangar.

She ran to the control room, headed to the DHD. She went underneath the console and pulled it open. She had done this so many times before. Manipulating the crystals, trying different ways to use them. This was a first, too. She was about to use the ancestors' technology to interface with Wraiths technology who would have thought.

She walked back into the hangar with the crystals. McKay was talking to Zelenka.

"Aren't you supposed to be in the infirmary?" Aria asked him.

"And wait for another seizure? No." McKay answered. "Do you have them?"

"The crystals? Yes." Aria gave them to him. "Zelenka told you?"

"He had the same idea as you." Zelenka answered.

"Really? That's amazing."

"Yes, it is." McKay grumbled. "Now, hook this up to the transformer."

"You are aware that this is a theory still." Aria told him as she plugged the cords that McKay had given her. "That we still have to run simulations."

"I know." McKay said as he manipulated the crystals.

"Done." Aria announced.

She moved back next to them. Zelenka initiated the simulation, McKay left the crystals alone. But this simulation wasn't a success. Neither were the other two, after that. But the last one, they ran it twice. Just to be sure it would work.

"Alright, let's do this." McKay said turning the Wraith machine towards him.

"Just because it works in simulation doesn't mean…" Zelenka started.

"I would prefer not to suffer a fatal seizure while we wait for you to round up more mice for testing." McKay cut him off. "So, shall we?" Zelenka and I glanced up to each other. "Don't try to talk me out of this. I may very well listen." McKay paused. "Well, you're welcome. I can honestly say that the entire experience has been very…" Colonel Sheppard, Dr. Weir and Dr. Beckett rushed into the room. "Ah, about time."

"Hold on, Rodney, I thought all the mice died?" John reminded him.

"Well, what are we mice or men?"

"Are you sure about this?" Dr. Weir asked him.

"Absolutely, yes."

Elizabeth looked around her and over at Zelenka and Aria, both of them just shrugged and raised their eyebrows.

"Okay." She said with a nod.

"Just…give me a second." Rodney said while he took place in the taped area. "Well, Laura, it's been…unique." He paused briefly. "Good luck to us both, right?"

"Alright." Zelenka said. He taped a few keys. "It's ready."

Aria moved the transformer, to be aimed at McKay. "You should take a step back." She suggested to the small group by the taped line. The three of them took a step back at the same time. Zelenka was about to initialize the machine when Rodney raised his finger in the air, placed a hand on his hip. He turned on his heels and marched up to Carson; grabbed him by his collar and pulled him into a kiss. Aria's jaw hit the floor. Rendered speechless by the gesture, as was the others. He finally pulled away.

"Just in case this doesn't work." Rodney said. But the moment he released Dr. Beckett, he gasped in horror. "Oh!" Rodney stumbled back. He vaguely waved at Zelenka, not meeting anyone's gaze. "Just, just hit it."

Zelenka hit the button and, like the mice, Dr. McKay disappeared in the beam. "Okay, it's reading as two life signs. Power levels are steady…" Zelenka informed them.

"Get them out of there!" John ordered him.

He hit the button again and Cadman and McKay reappeared. And unlike the mice, they were alive.

"Let's get them to the infirmary."

* * *

Aria, Zelenka, Elizabeth, and John were sitting down in the infirmary, waiting for McKay and Cadman to wake up. Laura was the first to wake up. Carson checked her vitals and soon, it was McKay's turn. He groaned as his eyes opened and looked around him.

"Feeling better?" Laura asked Rodney. He looked to his left, seeing an empty bed.

"Oh, no." Rodney breathed out.

"Over here." Cadman sing-sang. McKay turned to her and she waved her fingers at him.

"Um, a little less crowded." He answered to her question. "You?"

"Same. It's nice to have my own body back." Laura replied.

"You are doing supremely well." Carson commented.

The four visitors stood up and walked closer their beds. "Ah, good to hear." McKay groaned. "Nice work." He said to Zelenka and Aria.

"Well, it was Aria's idea." Zelenka said.

"But you had the same idea. So, it was our idea." Aria added. He just rolled his eyes and exhaled deeply.

"Lieutenant, way to survive what I think may be my worst nightmare." Sheppard said to Cadman.

"Thank you, Sir!" Cadman laughed.

"Yes, thank you." McKay said.

"I imagine you two might want a moment." Elizabeth said.

"Actually, ma'am, I think I'd like some time alone." Cadman replied to her.

"Same here. It's…been a while." McKay agreed.

"Alright. Release them as soon as you can." Elizabeth asked Beckett.

"Aye." He nodded.

The visitors left the infirmary.

* * *

"That was a good job, you did back there." John said behind Aria as he caught up to her.

"Oh, I wasn't alone in this. And whether I was here or not, McKay would have figured it out." She said.

"Maybe." He retorted. "Dr. Weir told me you've finally made your choice."

"Oh, yes. I should probably have come to you first." Aria apologized. "I just wanted to talk to her first."

"It's alright." Sheppard assured her. "At least, now it's official."

"Yes, it is." Aria nodded.

"Welcome to the team."


	4. Chapter 4

_**Chapter 4**_

 _ **Thanks for reading this story. Thanks to Adela, to Guest#1, to EverRose808 for their reviews. Thanks to all the followers and the one who favorited this story.**_

 _ **New Chapter, read, enjoy and review.**_

* * *

It was officially Aria's first mission with her new team. She had no idea that when Colonel Sheppard offered her to stay in Atlantis; that he was also offering her a place in his team. Since the moment she said yes, she had been taken to the firing range by Sheppard. Training and practicing to the use of firearms. For now, just like McKay she was only authorized to use a 9-mm and her stunner and nothing else. Well, except of course for her fighting staff.

It was a strange thing for her to do. Going through the Ancestors Ring, knowing well that danger may await her on the other side. It wasn't safe. But she did it. When she said yes to say, she had one thing on her mind. Apart from her own safety and survival. She was hoping that one day, one of their teams would come back from Elba. That one day she would have answers to her questions. To the most important one. Why? Why did they abandon her? Finding them was no longer important, she didn't care but having her questions answered would help her understand.

She didn't just expect to be a member of one of those teams.

* * *

"Look familiar?" Sheppard asked to the natives of Pegasus. They were currently sitting in the Jumper, flying in the sky of this new world.

"No." Ronon answered.

"Me neither." Teyla said "I do not believe I have been to this planet before."

Aria did not answer. Although, she also was a native of the Pegasus galaxy. She had never let the world she was living in. If it wasn't for Sheppard and his team she would have still be there.

"There's no sign of any settlements, or at least nothing recent." McKay noted.

"Other than the smoke from that campfire." Ronon pointed to the grey smoke that they could perceive in the distance.

"Oh, yes, well. Other than that." McKay retorted.

"I'll land within a few hundred yards." Sheppard informed them.

* * *

The settlements looked unattended. They were piles of junk almost everywhere. Smokes were coming from different piles. The camp seemed empty but Aria didn't like that her team was walking through it as if it was safe to do so. It wasn't smart.

"It's primitive, definitely primitive." McKay stated. "Probably not even worth making contact. What is that smell?"

"Hello?" Sheppard called out. Aria flinched and winced.

"It appears they left in a hurry." Teyla said.

"I don't think they did." Aria said quietly.

"They're not used to friendlies coming out of the gate." Sheppard replied to Teyla. Not hearing what Aria just said.

"What are you?" McKay exclaimed. Ronon was tasting the food that was still on the fire. "Oh my God! He's tasting it! You don't know what that is. That could be their laundry!"

"Pretty good." Aria stopped behind Teyla and looked around her nervously.

"Oh yes, good idea. And when you're finished with their porridge, why don't we try their beds." McKay said.

"This isn't right." Aria said pulling out her gun and Sheppard glanced at her.

"Want some?"

"How good is it?" McKay asked Ronon.

"Leave it be, Goldilocks." Sheppard said.

Arrows rained on them, whistling through the air. Taking the group by surprise. It missed all of them.

"Take cover!" Sheppard ordered them.

They took cover behind crates of metal. They were being fired at by people dressed in rags. Their projectiles exploded when they hit their target.

"What the hell's in those sling shots?" Sheppard asked as they were firing back at them.

Aria fired at them without really aiming at anyone. She didn't have time to focus on that. The most important was to get those people to stop firing at them.

"You know this is not the way to make new friends." Sheppard shouted over at their enemies. They had stopped firing. "But we'll leave if you want us to." No answer came to his suggestion. "I'll take that as a yes. Let's go back to the Jumper. Teyla, you're on point. I"ll take the six. McKay help Ronon."

"Don't worry about me." Ronon told Sheppard.

"I'm a worrier. Let the man give you a hand." Sheppard retorted.

They all stood to leave. As soon as they were unprotected, they heard. "Fire!" They got back down and responded with fire. Sound of engines reached her ears. She looked around her only to see an aircraft above them. Its three propellers moved, aiming at the ground, dispersing the shooters, making them fly away from the small group.

"Alright move, move!" Sheppard ordered them.

Teyla was in the lead, Aria after her, followed by Ronon supported by McKay and Sheppard was last to follow. They maintained this formation until they reached the Jumper.

"Everyone in one piece?" Sheppard asked his team.

"Yeah, thanks to that ship." Ronon replied.

Teyla pushed him into a seat. "Be still."

"Yeah, I like their timing." Sheppard said.

"No kidding, you see that thing?" McKay replied.

"Yeah, I saw that thing."

"Unidentified ship." A voice came through the comm. "This is security vessel Borus. Follow us immediately and we will lead you to the city."

"Understood Borus." Sheppard answered. "Thanks for the help back there." He turned to his team. "That's how you make new friends."

* * *

Unlike the settlements, the city was much cleaner and more structured. More civilized. It's almost as if they had travelled to another planet. There were high buildings, their architectures were slightly different than the Ancestors'. Aircrafts were flying over their heads. Aircrafts of different designs and sizes. The people walked past them, mainly dressed in grey and black. Aria had no idea that there were other worlds that could be as sophisticated as Atlantis.

"Welcome to Olesia." A young woman greeted them. "I am Marin."

"Lt. Colonel John Sheppard, Teyla Emmagan, Dr. Rodney McKay, Aria Victus, Ronon Dex." Sheppard introduced his entire team.

Marin nodded. "Please follow me." They followed her under the arch and to a large building. "I sent a security detachment as soon as we detected your presence on the island. The prisoners there can be quite hostile."

"Yeah, we definitely got off on the wrong foot." Sheppard retorted.

"Prisoners?" Teyla repeated the word that had made her and Aria frowned.

"Yes, the island is a penal colony." Marin retorted. "The prisoners don't usually cause much trouble. As long as you don't try to land there."

"Well, you could put up a sign." McKay countered.

"The Stargate is on the island; does this not affect your ability to trade with other worlds?" Teyla questioned her.

"Yes, of course." Marin answered. "As a result, we have needed to be almost entirely self-sufficient."

"Why did you put a prison near the Stargate?" Aria asked her.

"I believe the Magistrate is better suited to answer those questions." Marin answered as they neared the building. "He's very eager to meet you."

* * *

"Your ship has the most intriguing design." The Magistrate commented. "I must admit I'm surprise to find others in this galaxy whose technology rivals our own. Aside from the wraiths I mean."

"Funny, I was about to make the exact same comment." McKay said.

"Where do you come from?" The Magistrate asked the group.

"Until recently, Atlantis." Sheppard was lying, of course. But Aria understood why. He was just protecting his people, spreading the rumors that Atlantis had really been destroyed.

"The Ancestral city." The Magistrate sadly said.

"Yeah, unfortunately it was destroyed by the Wraiths, a short time ago." Sheppard continued.

"How tragic." The Magistrate said.

"Yeah, we're pretty broken up about it." Sheppard looked at the ground.

"We are part of a small group of people that were able to escape." Teyla added.

"How fortunate for you."

"Yes, yes, yes. Very fortunate. Look, getting back to the technology thing." McKay dismissed his words of sympathy. "I'm just curious how have you been able to make such advancements without the wraiths stepping in?"

"The Wraiths has chosen to leave us alone." The Magistrate answered. And Aria frowned.

"Why?" Sheppard asked him.

"I don't know." The Magistrate shook his head.

"They never come here?" Ronon asked.

"The Wraiths have been here many times. But with the Ancestral Ring on the island, the Wraiths have always been, how should I put this…satiated with the prisoners living there. The Wraiths have no need to venture any further."

"Smart. Cruel but smart." Aria commented.

"That would explain why you put the prison there." Sheppard said.

"The island has been a penal colony for a hundred years." The Magistrate replied. "Its location there had benefited my people greatly."

"Not all your people." Sheppard retorted.

"I assure you, only the most violent criminals are sent there." The Magistrate looked down at Ronon's wound. "As you've discovered."

"It's a good crime deterrent." Ronon remarked.

"Crime…is virtually non-existent on Olesia." The Magistrate said and Aria frowned again. "Unlike the prisoners, we pride ourselves on being a most hospitable and civilized people."

Interesting, she thought. Crime was nonexistent, he said. How were they able to sustain an enough number of people in the penal colony for the Wraiths to feed on? This would be very hard to and eventually the Wraiths would come to the city. They wouldn't be safe and protected for long.

* * *

The Magistrate took them on a tour of his city. "This section of the city is devoted to scientific research." He explained as they followed him through the city. "Our scientists have recently attained success in the enrichment of a fissionable, yet non-radioactive, material to be used in generating power to the city."

"Fissionable, yet non-radioactive. Well that, that, that, that, is that even possible? What kind of materials is it?" McKay asked the Magistrate.

"It's an ore." The Magistrate started to explain. "Extracted from a mineral found on our planet. It's quite volatile, but it yields great promise. I'd be very happy to show you the laboratory."

"I'd be very happy to see it." McKay said back.

"I'd be very happy to go back to our ship." Sheppard said. "Our people are due to check in with us in a little while over radio. I'll have to get back within range."

"You can link with one of our radio relay stations." The Magistrate offered him. "There should be enough power to reach the island, if that's your concern."

"So, we'll be speaking privately?" Sheppard asked him.

"Of course." The Magistrate assured him.

* * *

The Magistrate led them to a lavish room. A bowl of fruit sat on the table. Various green plants and red flowers around the room. And what seemed to be comfortable armchairs and couches.

"And you believe they might be willing to share some of this mineral?" Dr. Weir asked over the radio.

It still felt weird to Aria. Hearing but not seeing was a new sensation to her. It seemed natural to the others but not to her. She knew how it worked but still, she wasn't used to it, yet.

"Well, they seem open to it." Sheppard answered to her. "They don't get many trading opportunities coming through the gate."

"Sounds promising."

"There is, however, the minor moral hiccup of their form of capital punishment." Sheppard continued.

"I'm sorry?"

"They have an island." McKay replied. "It's their own version of Alcatraz where they send their worst criminals."

"And the gate is on the island, so…" Sheppard trailed off.

"So, the Wraith feed on the prisoners?" Doctor Weir finished for him.

"Yeah."

"Talk about cruel and unusual punishment." Dr. Weir commented.

"I prefer lethal injection, although I do have a certain fondness for the electric chair." McKay said. "Call me romantic." Aria glanced back at McKay. Confused.

What did romance have to do with death? Or was it another one of those earthen things that she didn't really grasp?

"The Wraith get what they want, and the Olesians get left alone." Ronon shrugged. "I'm surprised it works."

"He did, however, say that only the most violent criminals get sent there and that it has been this way for hundreds of years." Sheppard continued.

"Do you kill all your violent criminals on Earth?" Teyla asked him.

"Certain countries, yes." McKay replied.

"Do we need to get into this right now?" Sheppard frowned at him.

"Well, we do if we plan on doing business with these people." Dr. Weir said. "I wanna know more before I jump to any conclusions."

She could have talked about her suspicions, then. She didn't. Maybe there was a reasonable explanation to all this. Crime might be nonexistent but still existent. Maybe people, in spite of knowing what may await them on the island, just didn't care. Maybe, she was overthinking this.

* * *

"We were able to speak with our people, thank you." Sheppard said as they met with the Magistrate in his office.

"Of course." The Magistrate smiled.

"If you're open to it, we'd like to discuss possible trade opportunities." Sheppard continued.

"We are very open." The Magistrate nodded. "I'm sure there is much that we can learn from each other."

"Well, Dr. Elizabeth Weir will be the one to begin official negotiations with you." Sheppard told him. "That's really her thing."

"I'm looking forward to meeting her, and the start of a promising friendship." The Magistrate replied, smiling.

* * *

"Seriously, am I the only one creeped out by that guy?" McKay asked his friends as they were flying back to the gate.

"If you mean you didn't like him, well, I didn't like him, either." Aria retorted.

"Politicians, kids, they're all creepy." Sheppard said to both of them.

"Margaret Thatcher wasn't creepy." Rodney continued. "Okay, well, maybe a little. She actually resembled an aunt of mine. Same hairstyle, facial structure, only my aunt was much taller and remarkably hirsute. Oddest thing, she had to shave twice a day."

"Do you always talk that much?" Aria asked him. Sheppard snorted.

The Jumper shook suddenly. "What was that?" Teyla gripped the armrests of her chair.

Projectiles exploded in the sky. "They're shooting at us." Sheppard stated.

"The prisoners?" Teyla asked.

"With what?" McKay exclaimed.

"Cloak the ship." Ronon said.

"I can't. We took some damage." Sheppard informed him after he tried. "We'll be lucky to make it to the gate."

"How close are we?" Aria asked him.

"Close enough to dial." Which Teyla did immediately.

The Jumper kept shaking as they were under attack. Aria sat in the back of the Jumper, gripping the walls tightly. The Jumper shook violently, again. She felt the impact.

"I've lost control systems. Hang on." Sheppard said urgently. They were crashing.

* * *

Aria was lying on the floor. She opened her eyes, aware of people talking near her. Her head was pounding. She turned around on her back with a groan. She sat up and suddenly felt dizzy. She brought a hand to her head.

"Are you alright?" Teyla asked her.

"I'm not sure." Aria answered. Teyla helped her up. She brought her hand back down. "I'm bleeding."

"The gate should still be active for a few minutes." Ronon said.

"All right. Let's go." Sheppard ordered.

As soon as they stepped out of the Jumper, they were surrounded by the prisoners. Too many of the prisoners and not enough of them. The prisoners' weapons were primitive but they'd probably be dead before they reached the Gate. And even if they could, how would they open it?

"Hi, folks." Sheppard started. "I hope I didn't crash-land on anybody."

* * *

The prisoners took their weapons away and led them back to their camp. Aria's head was pounding loudly. Her headwound might not be life-threatening but right now, she could do without the pain.

They were now held captives by prisoners. Aria could appreciate the irony in that. Was it always like this with this team? Always ending up in danger and held captives. Although, she knew there was a risk of that happening everytime they would go through the gate.

Their arms tied behind their backs, there wasn't much they could do. Hopefully, Atlantis would come to their rescue. The leader of this island came into the tent where they were held captives.

"You should know our people are expecting us." Sheppard warned him. "If we don't show up soon, they'll come looking for us."

"Is that supposed to concern me?" He retorted.

"Don't go getting all full of yourself, chief." Sheppard countered. "A few cannons are no match for the kind of firepower they'll be bringing with them. Although, I should compliment whoever took that first shot. It was a good one."

"Yeah, it was nice, wasn't it?" Chief smiled down at them.

"What do you want from us?" Teyla asked him.

"Well, we've already got your weapons." Chief replied, showing Ronon's gun that he was now holding. "Now, I do believe we'll take your ship. You see, we have been planning a little trip to the mainland, but after seeing you fly that thing through the Ancestral Ring…"

"You're referring to the ship you just shot down." Rodney reminded him. "The one that doesn't stand a hope in hell of ever flying again."

The ship that they had no chance to fly, unless they had the ATA gene, Aria thought.

"The ship you're gonna fix, yes." Chief said.

"What am I, MacGyver? Fix it with what?"

"Get him up." He ordered one of his men. One with a dirty beard walked up to McKay and pulled him up. "You seem like a smart man. I'm sure you'll think of something. Maybe all you need is a little motivation." And he shot at the wall behind McKay.

Aria had felt anger before. But it was directed at her parents for abandoning her on this planet. She was surprised that she felt anger towards this man. Anger and fear. She wasn't scared for her life. She was scared for McKay's.

"Maybe you should think about fixing it, Rodney." Sheppard said.

"Good idea." Rodney said.

"My friends all tell me, I have a remarkable gift for persuasion." Chief joked.

"He's gonna need me." Aria said to Chief.

"Why?"

"He's smart but I've been fiddling with this technology since I was a child." Aria explained. "Together we might be able to fix it faster."

Chief stared down at her and gestured one of his men to get her up. They untied her and McKay. And took them out of the tent. They were escorted by a small group to the Jumper. Aria didn't have to go with them. They only wanted McKay. Plus, McKay was right, the Jumper was most likely dead. There was little to no chance to fix it. With or without her help. But the idea of McKay being alone surrounded by those prisoners unsettled her. At least, he wouldn't be alone.

* * *

Most likely turned into completely. The Jumper was completely dead. McKay and Aria looked at the panel controls. Nothing. Dead.

"There is no power getting to any of these controls. You understand?" McKay said to Chief. More like yelled. "Look. Nothing."

"Why not?" Chief asked him.

"Let me go out on a limb here and say that maybe it had something to do with the crash, which of course begs the question, how the hell did you get your hands on explosives?" McKay asked him.

"Eldon made them." Chief answered. "He fashioned a composite out of minerals and materials he found around the island. Crude, yes, but effective. We shot you down, didn't we?"

Aria exhaled deeply, her eyes falling shut. "Who is Eldon?" She asked.

"That would be me." A man rather timid stepped into the Jumper.

"You're a prisoner?" McKay asked. Rightfully so, since he seemed out of place.

"I was accused of killing one man…" Eldon started.

"He's a scientist." Chief cut in.

"…and it was a case of mistaken identity." Eldon finished.

"Tell you what, Eldon, you can tell them your whole life story." Chief cut him off. "Just help them fix the ship."

"Look, I don't know what you expect me to do." McKay sighed. "I don't have any of the proper diagnostic tools, not to mention the fact that…"

"Well, figure it out."

"Well, if we don't?"

"We will." Aria said before Chief could add another word.

"Aria, there's a lot…"

"We'll figure something out." Aria repeated.

"Smart woman." Chief left the Jumper.

Eldon and two guards remained with them. "Why did you tell them we'll fix it?" McKay hissed at her.

"He shot at you just to convince you. What do you think he'll do next?" McKay remained quiet. "If hurting you is not an option, he'll hurt the others." She looked at Eldon and at the two guards as she said the last part. "Come on, let's see what we can do."

* * *

McKay opened one of the panels in the back compartment and started fiddling with the crystals. Aria moved to the controls system. There wasn't much she could do from there, but she could at least see what she could save from it or use.

"The technology on this ship is far more advanced than the Olesians'." Eldon said as he took one of the crystals.

"How ironic then to have been shot down by the cast of Braveheart." McKay retorted.

"Well, I'm surprised we were able to shoot you down." Eldon answered.

"It's the old low-tech versus high-tech argument, I suppose." McKay said.

"We've been working on those weapons for years." Eldon continued.

"Yes, well, well done. Good for them, huh?" McKay was getting annoyed. "Now, are you gonna continue talking or…" There was a pause. "Thank you."

Aria checked all the crystals under the panel control. They all seemed in perfect state but without power they won't be of any use. She sat up, closed her eyes briefly to overcome her sudden dizziness.

"Those cannons. Your design?" McKay asked Eldon.

"No, no, no." Eldon answered. "Well, I chose the material and helped calculate trajectories, the ignition mechanisms and the fuses, of course, but most of my efforts went into fashioning the explosive shots."

"Explosives." McKay repeated. "Is that how you killed a man?"

"I didn't kill him. I'm innocent. I don't belong here." Eldon said.

"Really? I wonder if there's ever been a convicted felon who didn't claim he was innocent?"

Aria joined them. "I don't care if you don't believe me. I…I just want off of this island." Eldon said.

"I believe you, Eldon." Aria smiled at him. She was willing to.

The Magistrate could not maintain such a high number of prisoners if crime was nonexistent in his city. He might have done some questionable things. Such as arresting innocent people.

"Oh, no." McKay pulled out a damaged crystal.

"What is it?"

"I assume there's no DHD beside the Stargate?"

"He means the Ancestors Ring." Aria said when Eldon didn't seem to understand McKay. "A device that turns it on, is there anything like that on this island?"

"No. Nothing." Eldon shook his head.

"Oh, of course." Aria took the damaged crystal from McKay. "Why give the prisoners such an obvious means of escape?"

"What's wrong?"

"The main power-distribution conduit's been damaged, and effectively cuts all the power to primary systems, drive pods, cockpit controls, DHD."

"Can you fix it?"

The secondary systems were still operational, though, thought Aria. If they could draw enough power from them, they'd be able to…

"Easily, if I had a replacement. Without one, you and your friends aren't going anywhere." Aria frowned at McKay's answer.

"Neither are you." Eldon countered. "If you don't fix this ship, Torrell's gonna make sure you're the first the Wraith find at the next culling."

* * *

Torrell took them back to their friends. He pushed McKay forward. "Choose."

"Choose what?" McKay asked him.

"Which one of them dies first." Torrell answered. "Do it."

"I can't do that." McKay looked at the three of them.

"You, then." Torrell pulled Aria forward.

"It won't change that the ship can't be fixed." Aria told him.

"I don't believe you." Torrell told her.

"I know it is hard to believe…" McKay said.

"No, I mean I think you're lying." Torrell cut him off. "Both of you."

"We're not. It's broken. You don't understand 'broken?'"

"I know your type. You whine and you complain, and you see to it that your every task is viewed as some impossible achievement so that when you do succeed, your gargantuan efforts are viewed as all the more heroic." Aria realized he was talking more to McKay than to her.

"That may be true in some cases, but this is not one of them. You are asking me to do the impossible."

"Your friends' lives are in your hands." He turned away as his men pulled McKay and Aria next to their friends. "I'll give you some time to choose."

"Listen to him. He's killed eleven people." Eldon warned McKay and Aria. "Eight before he was sent here, and three since he's been on the island."

"That's eleven, huh?" McKay said back. "You got some catching up to do, don't you? He's only killed one."

"Who? Him?" Sheppard asked surprised.

"I told you, I'm here because of a mistake." Eldon said again.

"I'm sure everyone here on this island says that." Ronon said.

"Maybe the Magistrate didn't tell us the entire truth." Aria said.

"Well, as a matter of fact, some of us are innocent." Eldon confirmed her suspicions. "Only a few, like Torrell, are actual murderers."

"You mean they put all their criminals here, regardless of the crimes they commit?" Teyla asked him.

"The Magistrate did tell us that crime was nonexistent. I suppose that the threat of being the first victims in the first culling must have proven to be a great deterrent." Aria said. "Which meant that there must have been fewer and fewer prisoners."

"Less food for the Wraith." Teyla said.

"Exactly." Eldon nodded quickly.

"So, they lowered the bar." Sheppard said.

* * *

Eldon left them. The five of them remained silent. There were no ways for them to get off of this island. Well, there was one. And if she thought of it, so had McKay. And yet, she followed his lead when he lied to Torrell. That she could understand. But she didn't understand why he didn't say anything to the others.

"I think they're loosening." Ronon grunted.

"Take it easy, Chewie. You're gonna cut your damn hands off." Sheppard retorted.

"The more we struggle, the tighter the binding gets." Teyla remarked.

Behind them, they heard noise before the wall disappeared and in came Eldon. He tiptoed around them with knife in his hand.

"You need something like this." Eldon said crouching down in front of Sheppard.

"What about the guards?" McKay asked him.

"They stepped away. No one's watching." Eldon answered.

"Will you help us?" Teyla asked him.

"If you'll help me."

"How?" Sheppard asked.

"Fix the ship. Let me leave with you."

There were more people like her out there, Aria thought. People who just wanted to survive. People who just wanted to escape.

"For God's sake, how many times do I have to tell you…" McKay groaned.

"I know you could do it." Eldon cut him off. "I could see it in you eyes when you were working, I saw it in hers too." Eldon looked over at Aria. "You're holding something back from us."

"Rodney?" Sheppard said.

"Nobody could fix it." McKay kept up with the lies. "I don't care who you think I am, or what you think you saw in my eyes, but it is totally, completely impossible."

"Not completely impossible." Aria cut in.

Sheppard and Aria glanced at each other. "We have a deal."

"We won't be able to fix the ship to fly out of here, the primary systems are completely fried." Aria continued. "But we might be able to draw enough power from the secondary systems to activate the DHD. We can dial the gate and leave on foot."

"When she says 'might,' she means probably not." McKay sighed. "It's a long shot at best, I'd have to bypass the main power distribution…"

"Get us out of here." Sheppard snapped.

Eldon freed Ronon first. The latter just disarmed the man and put the knife under his throat.

"What are you doing?" McKay exclaimed.

Was Ronon out of his mind? Eldon was helping them. Why threatened the man?

"Give me one reason why I shouldn't cut your throat." Ronon threatened Eldon.

"For one, it would make a mess." Sheppard answered. "Look, we made a deal. Just let him go."

Ronon let go of Eldon. And freed the others. They left the tent and trekked through the woods towards the Jumper. Aria didn't question the fact that there were no one to stop them. That it seemed too easy for them to escape. No, she worried of what might happen after they had activated the gate. Would the prisoners realize they were gone? And when would they notice? Would they have enough time to run for the Stargate? Those were questions she couldn't answer. All she could do in that moment was to hope for the best.

* * *

"Why are we stopping?" Ronon asked Sheppard.

"This is way too easy." Sheppard replied. "All right, stay close and stay quiet."

"What? Why does he say that to me?" Rodney asked outraged. Teyla pushed him forward, telling to keep quiet.

They went further ahead, stopping only when the Jumper was in sight. Men were expecting them. Waiting for them. They knew. But what did they know?

"I didn't know anything about this, I swear." Eldon said immediately.

"We'll never be able to make it to the Jumper; they have our weapons." Teyla reminded them.

"We don't need weapons." Ronon retorted.

"What about the fact that they seriously outnumber us?" McKay asked.

"At least, we got the element of surprise." Sheppard said.

"I was beginning to think you were afraid to fight." Ronon said.

"No, I'm just naturally lazy, but I will if I have to." Sheppard retorted. "And it's starting to look like we have to." He turned to Rodney. "How much time do you need to rework the DHD?"

"In a perfect world, two days."

"Rodney?"

"Right now, ten minutes, give or take."

"All right, we need to create a diversion." Sheppard nodded at her. "We're gonna split up and flank them. Get them looking everywhere except the Jumper. Hopefully we can buy enough time to steal back our weapons." The distinct sound of the gate being activated drew their attention. "Or we could just dial the gate."

"They fixed the DHD?" Teyla asked.

"That's impossible." McKay breathed out.

"They didn't." Aria shook her head.

"I don't think they're the ones who dialed it." Sheppard said as some of the prisoners ran away from the gate. A dart flew through and over their heads. "Down!" They all ducked.

"It didn't see us." Eldon said.

"It saw us. It didn't care." Ronon said.

"Why not?" McKay asked.

"Who cares? They left the Jumper." Sheppard answered.

They all rushed to the Jumper. Sheppard gave out his orders. Ronon was to stand watch. Teyla was to look for anything that may be used as weapons. While McKay and Aria were fixing the Jumper. Rodney slid under the controls. Although, Aria knew of what to do, she didn't know the jumper as much as McKay did. Fiddling with crystals her entire life was one thing, but this was something else. She might waste more time than necessary. McKay knew the Jumpers better than she did. If she had enough time, she might be able to do it. They didn't have that much time. They were in a hurry. What with the prisoners and the Wraiths? They couldn't risk it.

* * *

"The Dart went back through the gate." Ronon informed them.

"I do not know why it did not cull anyone." Teyla said confused.

"Maybe it did." Ronon said. "It headed for the mainland when it first came through."

"All right, keep watch." Sheppard ordered him. "How's it coming Rodney?"

"Slower than I expected, but faster than humanly possible." Rodney answered while Aria handed him another crystal.

"Any chance of getting the cloaking generator powered up, too?" Sheppard asked him. "Could really come in handy right about now."

"Okay, and how about a snack?" McKay asked back. "Maybe you'd like me to make you a sandwich?"

"Only if it's humanly possible." Sheppard retorted.

"It will be a miracle, if I get the DHD back online, let alone the cloaking generator." McKay sat up. "Even if I can manage that, the power will be intermittent at best."

"Get back under there." Aria pushed him back down. "Stop distracting him." She scolded Sheppard. "And just as a remainder, the Wraith are gone and we still have to deal with Torrell and his men. And when that happens, I want to be gone."

"I get it." Rodney replied.

"Perfect."

* * *

"Party's over." Ronon warned them.

"We were having such a good time." Sheppard said.

Aria handed the crystals she was holding to Eldon and followed Sheppard out of the Jumper. Torrell's men were coming their way.

"All right, let's see if we can hold them off." Sheppard said after assessing the situation. "Soon as you get the DHD back online, dial the gate and make a run for it. When you get back to Atlantis, start working on those sandwiches. We'll be right behind you."

"Two minutes. Hold them that long, we're good to go." McKay retorted.

Teyla, Sheppard, Ronon and Aria ran to the woods. Where the prisoners would be expecting them. And they split. In order to flank them. Aria stood behind Colonel Sheppard. She found a tree branch long enough to use as a weapon.

Two men reached their position. Sheppard attacked one of them. Aria attacked the other one. She struck him in the stomach, then his face and he flew on the ground. Another one swung at her and she ducked. Before kicking his legs from under him. When she looked up weapons, their own weapons were aimed at them.

* * *

"Oh, no. No, no, no. You don't have to do that." Torrell forced Ronon on his knees while aiming Ronon's own weapon at his head. Their situation was dire. "Look, you want me to dial the for you? That's fine." McKay tried to convince Torrell. Aria, Teyla, John and Eldon were on their knees, their hands behind their heads. "There are hundreds of suitable planets out there you can go to."

"Yeah. You know what? There are hundreds of unsuitable planets you can send me to, aren't there?" Torrell argued back.

"Yeah, but I won't send you to one of those." McKay said hesitantly.

"I think our best option is to just come with you to your planet." Torrell said. "Provided you've got more of these laying around there, do you?"

"Forget it." Sheppard said.

"I'm sorry?" Torrell replied.

"We'll dial you another address. You can go through, but we're not taking you home."

"You are aware of the fact that we have all your weapons pointed at you, right?" Torrell reminded Colonel Sheppard.

"Yeah, but you're gonna murder us the minute we step through the gate anyway, so what difference does it make?" Sheppard answered.

"That's very distrustful." Torrell retorted.

Aria's stomach dropped when she saw what was coming towards them. "What is that? What is that?" Torrell asked them.

"It's a Wraith cruiser, and trust me, you don't wanna be around when it gets here." Sheppard answered.

Ronon disarmed Torrell and took back his gun before aiming at Torrell.

"Wait, wait. Dial a gate." Sheppard ordered McKay. "If all the prisoners get off this island where do you think that ship will go?"

"We got a big problem in here!" McKay yelled.

"What's wrong?" Sheppard ran into the Jumper.

"I've lost power to the DHD." McKay informed him.

"Why?"

"I told you the power would be intermittent at best. We should've dialed immediately when it patched instead of standing around, talking."

"Can you fix it?"

"I don't know."

"They're right on top of us." Ronon reminded them.

"We could shoot them down." Torrell suggested.

"Neither your weapons nor ours will damage it." Teyla told him.

"The drones." Aria said. "We could patch enough power to arm them."

"They're not as intricate as the DHD. Maybe one, given the time constraints." McKay continued.

"Then do it." Sheppard ordered him.

"Can one drone shoot down an entire Wraith cruiser?" Teyla asked them.

"Maybe, we'll get a lucky shot. McKay?"

"Almost. Just give me one more, and, okay, we're armed. Go, before the power cuts out again."

Sheppard fire the only drone they had. It hit the Wraith Cruiser. And damaged it. To what extent? They would not know.

"That's either gonna buy us time or piss them off." Sheppard commented.

"If they didn't know we're here, they sure as hell do now." McKay said.

"Colonel Sheppard, you've damaged the Wraith cruiser and it's leaving the area."

Aria had never been so happy to hear a voice in her life. It was Dr. Weir.

"But there are two more cruisers incoming."

Sheppard walked up to Torrell. Hesitantly the convict handed the radio to him.

"Elizabeth, where are you?"

"We're in Jumper 2. We're cloaked, directly above you." She answered. "Are you all right?"

"Our Jumper's disabled." Sheppard informed her. "Right now, I need you to dial the gate to one of the backup planets in the Alpha site. Doesn't matter which one."

"Understood." Elizabeth answered.

As soon as the gate opened, the prisoners ran towards it. Leaving this island. But Torrell did not leave.

"Why should we trust you, huh?" He asked Sheppard.

"If you wanna stay, stay." Sheppard replied. "I really don't give a damn, but you are not coming home with us."

"But I…" Eldon stood up.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. You can come." And Torrell left with the others. "Elizabeth, I need you to keep the gate open until the last of them go through. Then shut it down. Dial Atlantis." Sheppard said over the radio.

"We can land and pick you up." Elizabeth suggested.

"Negative, just keep the gate open. We'll take it from there." Sheppard replied. "Stay in stealth mode till the Wraith have gone away."

"Acknowledged."

The entire population of the island ran for the gate. Until the last of them went through. The Gate shut down.

"We're dialing. Head for the gate." Elizabeth informed them.

The group immediately left the wrecked Jumper and ran for the Gate. On their way, the cruiser fired at them. It was dangerous. Reckless. They could die here and there. Aria didn't understand why Sheppard refused Elizabeth's suggestion to pick them up. They would have been safer onboard of Jumper 2. Instead of being out in the open, moving targets for the Wraiths.

She didn't understand. She didn't like that none of it was safe or smart. She didn't like that her life had been on the line or that she had risk her own to protect McKay in some way. She didn't like it at all.

So, why did she want to do it again?


	5. Chapter 5

_**Chapter 5**_

 _ **Thanks for reading this story. Thanks to Guest64, to Adela (Guest), to Chronus1326 for their reviews. Thanks to all the followers and the one who favorited this story.**_

 _ **New Chapter, read, enjoy and review.**_

* * *

"I'm just saying, as a team veteran to the new guys," Aria glanced at Ronon smirking. "Heavy lunch before mission departure, bad idea. And even with the inertial dampeners, this whole flying thing is best done on an empty stomach."

"Yeah, well, I've got a pretty stomach." Ronon replied to McKay.

"Hey, I can eat frozen dinners without thawing them." Rodney countered. "Sometimes, it even affects me."

"McKay, are you reading anything?" Sheppard put an end to the current conversation.

McKay turned his chair around, checking his pad. "Nothing. Life signs from the planet are negative."

"Then it is a shame." Teyla said. "From what we read in the Atlantis database the Dorandans were a wonderful race of people."

"The database hasn't been updated in ten thousand years." Aria said. "A lot can happen during that time."

"Sheppard." Ronon stood up.

Debris. Many of them. Ships that have been destroyed. "That's not something you see everyday." Sheppard said.

"There was a great battle here." Teyla stated.

They flew among the wrecked ships. Surprised to see so many destroyed. This was not just a battle; this had been a war. But who won?

"This is a hive ship."

"That was a hive ship." Ronon corrected Teyla.

"Something put a lot of holes in it, all right." Sheppard commented. "We should check it out."

"We don't even know what did that." Aria pointed out.

"She's right. What I whatever put holes in it wants to put holes in us?" McKay agreed.

"Well, like Aria said, a lot can happen in ten thousand years." Sheppard retorted.

* * *

On the surface, things were as dire as it was in space. Empty, the buildings in ruins, a ghost planet. That painfully reminded Aria of the planet she had lived on for years.

"That would explain the lack of life signs." McKay said quietly.

"This is what usually happens when you fight back." Ronon retorted.

"These folks took out a fleet of Wraith ships." Sheppard said. "I'd say they did a pretty good job fighting back."

"Hold on." McKay looked at his pad. "I'm picking up faint energy readings coming from…" He pointed to the only building that seemed intact. "There—Well, that would explain how they were able to put up such a good fight."

"How?" Sheppard asked.

"Because they were Ancients."

* * *

They landed on the top of the building and climbed down a ladder to access the building. Unlike the outpost she had lived in, this one did not react to the ATA genes. It remained dormant. All the consoles in the dark room were covered with dusts. Aria walked around the room, lit by her torch and stood behind one of the dusty consoles.

"Definitely Ancient design." McKay said from across the room. "Their latest stuff, too. Their latest, being ten thousand years old."

"Looks a lot like the labs we found on Atlantis." Sheppard remarked.

"So, this is one of their outposts." Ronon stated.

"Yet, the Ancestors made no mention of their presence here in the database." Teyla said. "Why?"

"For many reasons." Aria replied. "I mean they also didn't mention the one they had on the planet I lived on." She started fiddling with the consoles. "We'll find out more, once it's powered up."

"I got two bodies here." Sheppard called out.

"I got three more over here." Ronon declared. "Whatever happened here, no one came back to claim the dead."

McKay and Aria glanced at each other before going back to work. This wasn't reassuring. How come a people that could have destroyed an entire fleet, simply died? And from what? Could it be possible that the Wraiths fed on them? No, that wasn't logical. It must be something else. Even then, this could mean that whatever killed them, may kill them too.

The lights came on. The power was back.

"Maybe the Wraiths weren't the one who killed everyone on this planet." Aria said absentmindedly.

"What do you mean?" Sheppard asked her.

"The Wraiths would have destroyed this lab and thus, destroying a weapon capable of killing them." Aria continued. "But we've seen the wreckage, an entire fleet destroyed. They couldn't fight back. If there were any survivors, they would have escaped. So, what killed everyone?" She looked up at them.

"Good point."

* * *

"So, it's a military research facility?" Dr. Weir asked them.

"From what we can tell, it's a ground-based version of the satellite weapon we used to destroy that hive ship." Sheppard answered as they walked behind Elizabeth through the city.

"With one major exception, firepower." McKay added. "I mean, if that single outpost is responsible for destroying an entire Wraith fleet…"

"And you're sure it was this weapon that destroyed all those Wraith ships?" Elizbeth asked them.

"It had to be. There's nothing on the planet that suggests the Dorandans had anything capable of inflicting anywhere near that much damage." Sheppard said.

"If we could learn of such technology, we could defend other worlds from being culled." Teyla suggested.

"It didn't save the Dorandans." Ronon reminded them.

"Yeah, but at the end of the day, the outpost was still standing. And that means…" McKay started. "Well, I'm not sure what that means, but it means something definitely worth finding out."

"Colonel?"

"He's right. It's definitely worth sending a research team back."

"Well, give me Optican, Collins and Zelenka, if he's over the stomach flu." McKay continued. "We'll try to access the computer's logbooks. See if we can decipher them…"

"Okay, okay. Easy sell. Go." Elizabeth smiled at him.

"Oh, good." McKay left their company. "Aria?"

"Coming." Aria smiled at the others before rushing after Rodney.

She was still thinking over what may have happened to the Dorandans and the Ancestors. She didn't like that the Ancestors lab was still intact. Or the fact that if the Ancestors had a weapon that powerful, why didn't they use it against the Wraith? Why did they leave Pegasus? Sure, it was a great opportunity, she couldn't deny that but something was wrong.

* * *

"I'm telling you, at least 0.09%." Radek said.

"Oh, please, please. Move the decimal place." Rodney said back.

Aria was sitting on the ground with a laptop. She rolled her eyes at their argument. She was used to it by now, having worked with them multiple times. She quickly learned that they always disagreed before agreeing on the way to do things.

"Have we figured out what this is?" Sheppard asked them.

"No."

"No, I wouldn't say no." Zelenka answered. "No, we have a theory."

"But we don't know yet." McKay added.

"No, but based on the shielding around the chamber, what else could it be?" Zelenka turned to him.

"Have you tried turning it on?" Sheppard asked them.

"We're working on it." Aria answered from where she was sitting.

"But there is no direct link between it and the main power control systems, which among other things, led us to theorize that it's an ancillary power supply for the weapons systems." McKay continued.

"Cool." Sheppard grinned.

"See that? See?" Aria looked up at Sheppard. "See the way he lights up at the mention of that? It's like Dr. Vogel at the mention of pastries."

"They found out a way to soup up their space guns?" Sheppard asked.

"Yes, but it's much more than that." Zelenka answered.

"Well, the sticking point is that there's no tie between the power generator and the primary capacitor." McKay said.

"Yeah, meaning they would have to channel the power directly into the weapon."

"Which, I'm sure, means nothing to you."

"Means they could fire multiple bursts without having to store up more power for the next firing sequence." Sheppard retorted.

"I told you, Rodney. There's more than just good looks about him." Aria commented. Which earned her a smug look from Sheppard.

"Yes. Very good." McKay stammered.

"Which leads me back to 'cool.'" Sheppard nodded.

"Yes, but it only makes sense if we're right." Zelanka said.

"About what?" Sheppard asked.

"Tell him."

"Not yet." McKay retorted. Aria groaned and rolled her eyes.

"Come on, McKay, you read the equations. What else could it be? An Ancient typo?"

"Well, we know they're not perfect, because they're all dead." McKay said back to Zelenka. "Look, I just…I don't want you to get all excited over nothing."

"Well, maybe you're right." Sheppard replied.

"I'll give you a hint." Sheppard snorted. "It seems that the Ancients were experimenting with high-energy physics on a level that we've never seen before."

"Wow."

"Yes…Wow…I just…I wanna be sure. So…"

"I'll do my best to wait."

* * *

Aria was going through the lab database. She wanted to know more about what had happened on this planet. Trying to find answers to her numerous questions. She couldn't deny that this discovery was a vital one. One that could give them a chance to stop the threat that the Wraiths were. But something terrible had happened. Maybe the planet was culled in retaliation, maybe the wraiths had nothing to do with this. She had to know. If they were to use and study this lab, she needed to know what took place here.

Sheppard sat next to Aria on the ground. He looked around him, at all the scientists that were working around the lab. The redhead next to him kept her eyes on her laptop. On the screen, she was scrolling down a text, written in the Ancients language.

"What is that?" Sheppard asked her.

She looked up at him. "Multiple reports about their experimentations, numerous calculations among other things."

"But not what you're looking for." Sheppard said.

"Well, I want to know what really happened here. McKay and Zelenka are excited by this new discovery and I'm afraid they will overlook certain details." Aria voiced her worry. "I'm just making sure that we know everything before going further into this experimentation."

"I'm sure Zelenka and McKay will be careful." Sheppard said to her.

"I'm just being cautious." She shrugged. Sheppard nodded. "Are you getting bored, yet?"

He shook his head. "Nope. Although, there's not much to do around. Unless, you're a scientist."

"I'm sure you'll have something to do very soon." Aria smiled at him before nodding towards McKay that was now walking up to them.

* * *

"We're on our way back. Rodney wants to fill you in." Sheppard announced through the radio to Elizabeth.

" _I take it you found something interesting."_ Dr. Weir's voice came on the radio.

"Interesting? How about the greatest discovery of all time?" McKay replied.

"He's pretty excited." Sheppard commented.

" _So, I hear. He couldn't even wait till you got back."_ She retorted.

"I wanted to send an encoded data burst directly from the outpost to the secure network in my lab while the gate was active." McKay explained. "Now."

" _Receiving transmission. Transferring data."_ The gate technician said.

" _Care to fill me in, so, I can be excited too?"_ Elizabeth asked.

"It's a weapon…" Sheppard started.

McKay cut him off. "It is much, much more than a weapon. We think we've stumbled across the Ancients' last great discovery." Sheppard glanced back at Aria. "It was too late for them to win the war but I think if I can finish the work they started then…"

" _What is it?"_ Elizabeth asked him.

"It is the ultimate power source." McKay said excitedly. "Something that would make Zero Point Modules seem like alkaline batteries in comparison."

* * *

"It was called Project Arcturus. And from what we can tell, its ultimate goal was to render ZPMs obsolete." McKay explained.

Dr. Weir, Colonel Caldwell, Sheppard, Zelenka and Aria were all present in Dr. Weir's office. Listening to McKay telling them what they had discovered in the Ancestor's lab.

"How?" Elizabeth asked him.

"A Zero Point Module is an artificially-created region of subspace-time." McKay explained. "It's kind of like a miniature universe in a bottle."

"It extracts vacuum energy from this artificial region of subspace-time until it reaches maximum entropy." Zelenka continued.

"So, what's different about this thing?" Caldwell asked.

"Project Arcturus was attempting to extract vacuum energy from our own space-time, making it potentially as powerful as the scope of the universe itself." Zelenka replied.

"It strikes me as something the Ancients would've tried first, even before ZPMs." Caldwell remarked.

"And they may have." McKay said. "But extracting zero-point energy from our own universe is…well, it's definitely trickier."

"Explain 'trickier.'" Elizabeth asked him.

"Well, because we actually have to live in our own universe, it presents a whole range of problems." Zelenka retorted.

"Well, obviously it's not that easy or Atlantis wouldn't still rely on ZPMs." Caldwell said.

"Well, you're right. The Ancients couldn't make it work." Sheppard said.

"I said I wanted to do all the talking." McKay reminded him.

"Come on, Rodney, Arcturus was a total failure."

"Failure, yes. Total, no." McKay told him. "Look, the Ancients were losing the war against the Wraith when work on Arcturus began. If they could've made it work, it could have turned the tide of war. I mean, we're talking about their own Manhattan Project."

"The outpost was ordered by the Ancestors to defend the Dorandan people using their weapons powered by this new power source." Aria explained.

"Yes, but despite their strong reservations that it was not ready to be tested under battle conditions." Zelenka continued.

"The point is, the Wraith won." Sheppard said.

"Yeah, but the Dorandans still inflicted massive damage on the attacking Wraith fleet." McKay retorted.

"I'm not saying they didn't put up a hell of a fight." Sheppard said back.

"The logs indicate there was a major malfunction." Zelanka said.

"Well, yes, the Ancients in the bunker were forced to shut everything down, including the weapon." McKay argued.

"The Wraith sent more ships." Sheppard continued. "The Dorandans got wiped out."

"We haven't determined that it was the Wraiths, yet." Aria reminded him.

"So, if the malfunction hadn't occurred the Ancients would've saved the planet?" Caldwell asked.

"Definitely."

"Possibly. Don't sugarcoat this, Rodney." Sheppard warned him.

"The Ancient scientists running Arcturus were rushed into testing before they had perfected a means of effectively controlling the power output." McKay explained. "I believe if they'd had more time, history would've played out differently on that planet. Possibly in this galaxy."

"I won't deny that this is something that we'd dearly love to get our hands on, but the Ancients were a pretty bright bunch." Caldwell said.

"And desperate. And losing a war they'd already been fighting for 100 years." McKay reminded him. "More importantly, they were like this close." He made a gesture with his finger really close to his thumb.

"And you believe you can finish their work?" Elizabeth asked him.

"I do."

"We do." Zelenka corrected him.

"They do." Sheppard added.

* * *

And Aria thought it was madness. They still didn't know what the malfunction was or why the lab was still standing? One might say she was worrying too much. Maybe instead of looking for answers, she should assist Zelenka and McKay in running the simulations. Making sure there was a way to use this new source of energy without any malfunctions. But Aria couldn't help but be worried.

She had spent her entire life being cautious, safe because it was the smartest thing to do to survive. It was the only way she knew how to approach life. The only way she knew how to approach anything. So, she tried. She tried to be as excited about this discovery as McKay or Zelenka. And she really was. It was an incredible chance. If they could make it work, as Teyla said, this could stop any other world from being culled. It was a vital discovery. A discovery that could change the tide of the conflict between Wraith and humans.

* * *

"Everything's been triple checked." McKay announced.

They were back in the Ancestors lab. They had run multiple simulations and some of them had been a success. Now, they were going to test it out.

"Power levels are holding steady in all computer simulations." McKay continued.

"Fire it up." Sheppard ordered.

"All right." McKay walked towards Aria. "Attention, all personnel. Stand by for power-up on my mark." He stood next to Aria. Both of them readying to turn on the power. "Three, two, one. Mark."

They turned the switch. Success. Everyone had their eyes on their screens. The power was steady, nothing out of ordinary. And then it happened. A fluctuation. Aria did not know what it really meant. It happened again.

"Radek, talk to me." McKay called to Zelenka.

"I'm picking some minor power fluctuations." Zelenka answered. "Chamber temperature is holding steady. There it goes again."

"Is everything okay?" Sheppard asked them.

"Everything is fine." McKay answered. "The containment bottle was designed to automatically compensate for any sudden changes in energy output."

"This never happened in the simulations." Zelenka remarked. Aria was worrying again. Radek was right this never happened in the simulations. This was not something they had planned.

"Maybe we should abort." Sheppard suggested.

"I said it's fine." McKay insisted. "Collins, see if you can boost more power to the field manually."

Aria taped a few keys as she was instructed. Keeping her eyes on the readings and the fluctuations.

"Prepare for test firing. On my mark." McKay announced.

There was no firing. A sudden peak of power, alarming beeps all around the labs.

"Levels just spiked into the red." Zelenka said urgently over the beeps.

"What?"

"Shut it down. Shut it all down!" Sheppard ordered.

"I'm trying."

"It's not responding." Aria said taping furiously on her keyboard.

"All right, I'm gonna switch to backups." McKay retorted.

"Levels are going off the scales." Zelenka told him.

"McKay?"

"I have given the command to shut down! Something's creating an overload."

"We should evacuate." Sheppard said.

"Just give me a few seconds." McKay retorted.

"We may not have that time."

And something strange happened. "Wait, wait, wait. It's stabilizing." Zelenka said.

And it was. The power went back to normal.

"The generator is offline." Aria sighed in relief.

"What the hell just happened?" Sheppard turned to McKay.

"Obviously, there was a surge of some kind. Look, Collins…" McKay stopped. "Collins."

They all seemed to remember at that moment that he was sent to the containment bottle. They all ran to it, opened the door. And there was Collins. Terribly burned. And dead.

* * *

"Officially my report will indicate Dr. Collins died due to radiation exposure causing severe burns to well over 90% of his body." Dr. Beckett explained.

"But it was more than that?" Elizabeth asked him.

"Aye, much more." Beckett nodded. "To be honest, I have no idea what sort of radiation it was. I've never seen or heard of cellular decay this massive, not when exposure only lasted mere seconds."

"Colllins' next of kin have been notified." Sheppard informed.

"Good." Elizabeth nodded. "What went wrong?"

"We're still analyzing data from the test." Zelenka said. "All we know for certain was there was a massive power surge which in turn caused the containment field to expand asymmetrically in the direction of the command access tube. As to why…"

"How about human error?" Caldwell suggested.

Aria glared at him. "Excuse me?" McKay asked him.

"According to your reports during the test Dr. Collins made an adjustment to the containment field." Caldwell reminded him. "Isn't it possible that he triggered the surge himself?"

"Are you saying Collins is responsible for his own death?" Aria looked at him, disgusted by his suggestions.

"Not at all, Miss Victus." Caldwell looked at her. "I'm admittedly looking for a rationale that would allow Dr. McKay to continue his very important work. Is there something wrong with that?"

"No." McKay interjected. "Collins knew the system just as well as any of us. He wouldn't have made that kind of mistake. Everything was going well. Everyone did their job."

"Then what?" Elizabeth asked him.

"I don't know." McKay said. "In terms of physics, it shouldn't have happened."

"We're still analyzing the data from the accident. It's going to take time." Zelanka added.

"What I do know is the device did what it was supposed to do." McKay said.

"No, Rodney, it didn't." Sheppard argued.

"Well, apart from the obvious containment issues." McKay continued.

"It overloaded and you couldn't stop it."

"But we won't know for sure until we go back down there and try again."

"You can't be serious. This is madness." Aria told him.

"I am serious."

"Collins is dead." Aria said harshly.

"And I am responsible for it." McKay countered. "Yes, I am painfully aware of that. I sent him in there and I will have to live with that for the rest of my life. But we have a responsibility to understand what happened and learn from it."

"Rodney, we don't even know what went wrong." Zelenka said.

"Which is why we have to go back there!" McKay snapped.

"I know how important this is to you, Rodney, but we knew when we came to Atlantis that we might encounter certain technologies which, for the moment, are out of our reach." Elizabeth said.

"That's not in this case."

"You have the data from your first attempt. You can run all the simulations you want." Elizabeth told him.

"Come on, Elizabeth, you really think the military's gonna let this go, huh?" McKay said. "I mean, at the very least we should be the first ones in there to spearhead the research."

"That's what this is about?" Elizabeth retorted. "You wanna beat them to it? I'm sorry. The answer's no."

With that the meeting was over. Elizabeth stood up and left the room. And the others followed.

* * *

With Zelenka, Aria went over the data of the incident. It took them hours. Aria wasn't really familiar with their technical terms and some concepts were new to her. But she was a quick learner. Always had been. Even as a child, she understood concepts that her parents had struggled to completely understand. She had always been smart. It was one of her strengths.

She spent hours, her nose on the screen. Her eyes tearing up and tiring, as she read the data. She took her eyes off when Zelenka informed her that McKay and Sheppard went back to the lab on the planet. She was surprised that Elizabeth allowed them to go back. Even more surprised that Sheppard agreed to go back with McKay. She had thought that both Elizabeth and Sheppard were against the idea of repeating the experience. McKay must have been able to convince them in some ways.

* * *

"Radek, I have some strange readings here." Aria called to him.

"Let me see." Radek said looking over her shoulders. He frowned.

"What?" Aria asked him.

"We need to run some more tests." Zelenka told her.

"Radek, what's wrong?" Aria turned to him.

"These particles aren't supposed to be here." Radek said pointing to her screen. "In fact, it's nothing we had seen before. We need to do more tests before McKay start firing that weapon."

"What do you want me to do?"

They ran more tests, did some more calculations and Aria finally had found the answers she was looking for. She now knew what had really happened to the Dorandans and to the Ancestors. And if they didn't stop McKay, the same could happen to him and to Sheppard.

* * *

"Colonel Sheppard, this is Atlantis." Dr. Weir called through the radio.

" _Go ahead."_ Sheppard answered.

"Is Dr. McKay with you?"

" _Of course, I am but we're a little busy getting ready to run a test here."_ McKay's voice came over the radio.

"Actually, I would like you to delay the test firing." Elizabeth said.

" _Why?"_ Sheppard asked.

"We have reason to believe that the weapon's power source, it may not be controllable at any power level."

" _Radek?"_

"Rodney."

" _Okay, we've been over this. I'm doing this manually, at half power."_ McKay said. _"It's a cakewalk."_

"I don't think it matters how much cake you walk on." Zelenka retorted. "I've been doing calculations of my own and I believe that the very act of trying to contain vacuum energy from our own space-time creates an environment where the laws of physics cease to apply."

" _What are you on about?"_ McKay asked him.

"As power output increases, new and exotic particles are continuously created and destroyed inside the containment chamber, interacting with each other and with the field itself." Radek explained. "Eventually, particles are created that cannot be predicted in this space-time. And they breach the containment field as hard radiation."

" _But as long as I'm monitoring the energy output manually, I can stop that before it happens."_ McKay answered.

Aria and Elizabeth glanced at each other. "You cannot predict something that is inherently unpredictable." Radek tried to reason with him.

" _Rodney?"_ Sheppard's voice came on.

" _I know what I'm doing."_

"Rodney, I am trying to tell you as a friend, I have serious doubts." Zelenka insisted.

" _Well, you're wrong. I'm sorry, but there it is."_ McKay started his rant. _"And to bring this up now when I'm just about to do this, smacks of nothing but professional jealousy."_

"Fine. Kill yourself. Just like the Ancients did." Zelenka snapped.

" _Whoa, whoa, whoa. What do you mean by that?"_ Sheppard asked him.

"We believe that is the overload is allowed to continue, the weapon acts as a sort of release valve to prevent catastrophic containment failure." Zelenka explained.

"As I feared, the Wraiths had nothing to do with the disappearance of the Dorandans." Aria said. "The weapon, itself, killed everyone on that planet."

" _That would explain why this place is the only thing left standing."_ Sheppard said.

" _Congratulations, you've solved the mystery of how the Ancients screwed up ten thousand years ago."_ McKay countered. _"It doesn't mean that I will do the same. Look, I don't know how else to say this but none of you are capable of understanding this on the same level that I do. And Zelenka, that includes you."_

Aria shook her head in disbelief. "Rodney, I cannot afford to lose either one of you." Elizabeth told him. "Now tell me, can you do this?"

" _Yes."_

" _Are you sure?"_ Sheppard asked him.

" _Yes."_

" _Are you sure, you're sure?"_

" _I said, yes…"_

" _Because if you're wrong…"_

" _I'm not!"_

There was a tense silence, over the radio and in the control room. _"We'll call you back after the test. How does that sound?"_ Sheppard suggested.

"You'd better."

* * *

It had been a failure. Not only they almost got themselves killed but they destroyed three-quarters of an entire solar system. Aria was glad that they had returned safe and sound. But three-quarters of a solar system was a lot. What if there were other people living in this solar system? She checked in the database. Although, ten thousand years old, only one stargate was recorded in this system and it had been destroyed in the explosion.

Sitting in her quarters, finally able to clear her mind. Do something different, something that she could understand. A personal project of hers having lost her bo-staff, she was making another one. She had seen, on some of the earthen documentary that Beckett had shown her, a telescopic baton. She thought it could be a good idea for a new staff. One she maybe able to keep this time.

* * *

Three knocks on her door. On the other side, it was McKay.

"Rodney?" Aria said. "May I help you?"

"Do you mind if I come in?" McKay asked her, slightly nervous.

"Please." She let him in.

He looked around the round, clenching his fists repeatedly. "Oh, what are you working on?"

"A personal project of mine." Aria said quickly. "A retractable staff. I'm trying to add some other options to it."

"Such as?"

"I haven't decided yet." Aria retorted. "But you didn't come here to talk about my personal projects, did you?"

"You're, uh, right. I came here to apologize to you." McKay said.

"You don't owe me anything." Aria retorted.

"Of course, I do. You and Radek tried to warn me and…"

"And you destroyed three-quarter of a solar system." Aria sighed. "Because you thought that Radek was being jealous and that we weren't smart enough."

"That's why I want to apologize."

"Can you promise me that you won't do it again in the future?" McKay remained quiet. Struggling to find a satisfying answer. "I mean it, you don't owe me an apology. I figured that this is who you are and as my father used to say, there's room to grow."


	6. Chapter 6

_**Chapter 6**_

 _ **Thanks for reading this story. Thanks to Adela (Guest), to Chronus1326, to Elise Deschat for their reviews. Thanks to all the followers and the one who favorited this story.**_

 _ **New Chapter, read , enjoy and review.**_

* * *

"Another great vacation getaway in the Pegasus Galaxy." Sheppard commented as they walked into what looked like a village. A ghost town.

It was dark, barely lit and deserted. Aria did not see what was great about this place. It was quite sad. It reminded her too much of her own ghost town.

"Where is everyone?" Teyla asked.

"There's smoke from the chimneys." Ronon noted. "They're inside."

"Can't say I blame them." McKay commented. "Nothing I hate more than a damp cold."

"Let's check this out." Sheppard said walking up to one of the building.

He pushed open the door and unlike the deserted streets, the place was full. Various people, mainly men, were sat at the tables. They all turned their heads towards the door that had just opened and their new visitors.

"Howdy, folks." Sheppard greeted.

They weren't really welcome here.

"Who are you?" A young man asked.

"Sheppard." John answered. "This is Teyla, Ronon, McKay, Aria."

"You from Ratira?" He asked this time.

"No." Sheppard shook his head.

"From over the mountains, then?"

"A little further."

"Uh? Then you've come a long way." He said. "You'll be in need of food and drink." He indicated a table. "Sit."

Ronon closed the door behind him and he followed Aria to the table. "I take it you don't get many strangers around here." McKay asked as Ronon and Aria sat down.

"No." The man answered. "Especially not those that travel near dark."

"Why is that?" Sheppard asked.

"You really don't know?"

"Callup." Another man near the bar called. "What's your business here?"

"No business, really. We're just travelers." Sheppard answered.

"Then you best keep travelling." Aria glanced up at the man before looking around at her squad.

"All right, then." Sheppard stood up, his team following his example.

"Wait." Callup stopped them. "Goran, you can't send them out there."

"They look like they can take care of themselves." Goran answered. "It may not even start tonight."

"It's been three months." Callup retorted. Aria frowned glancing down at Ronon. "How much longer do you think it'll wait?"

"Hi." McKay drew their attention to them. "What are you talking about?"

"The Daimos." Goran said.

"What is that?" Aria asked him.

"It lives in the forest. It'll be feeding soon." Goran explained.

"And it is, what, some kind of animal or…" McKay questioned.

"It's a creature. It has the appearance of a man, but it can suck the very life from your bones." Goran explained further. "Leaves only a dead, withered husk behind."

"Sounds familiar." Sheppard said.

They used another name for the Daimos. Sheppard and his squad had met their kind many times before. And they were lucky enough to have had come out of those alive still. Rare were those who did. Now, Aria understood why no one was outside. It wasn't because of the damp cold but because they were afraid of the Wraith. They spoke of it as if it was just one of them. Maybe it was the case but was it really?

* * *

"Look, we know you're not used to dealing with strangers, but we may be able to help you with this little problem you're having." Sheppard offered. "We're used to dealing with this kind of thing."

"We call them the Wraith." Teyla said.

"These are the creatures from the old stories, from the time of the cullings." Goran retorted.

"So, you have heard of them." McKay said.

"Yes, but the histories of them are incomplete." Goran explained. "They tell of the great ships that descended from the sky, although there's no description of the Wraith themselves. Although, there were a few among us who guessed the Daimos might be one of them."

"Why?"

"Because it, too, came from the sky." Goran told them. "It was about ten years ago. A bright light appeared above the village. It crashed into the hills. We didn't know what it was. But people were terrified. I went with some of the other men to investigate. We found the wreckage, a few wounded survivors. We didn't know what they were. We decided to take no chances. We slaughtered them, burned the bodies."

"Wise decision." Ronon commented.

"Unfortunately, we didn't get them all." Goran sighed. "And although, none of us saw it, evidently one of them survived. It took its first victim that very night. We tried to hunt it down, but we couldn't find it. It's been out there ever since. It feeds three, four times a year. Takes two or three people each time. "Aria took a deep breath. "Two years after the crash, it took my own son."

"That's it." Ronon said. "One Wraith in the forest?"

"Yes."

"I'll be done by morning."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa." Sheppard stopped him. "We'll all go together, in the daylight."

"You're really gonna help us?" Callup asked.

"Well, like the man said, it's just one Wraith." Sheppard answered. "It'd be downright unneighborly if we didn't."

"In that case, drinks are on me." Callup smiled.

"Well, let's not forget the food."

Although, there was only one Wraith, Aria didn't like that they were going after it. It was a terrible story and yes, the Wraiths had destroyed many lives. But it wasn't up to them to solve every problem in the galaxy, was it? She understood it was their mission to fight the Wraiths and help people as much as they could. After all, they did help her by offering her shelter but it was something she was still struggling with. This notion of helping instead of surviving was still new to her.

* * *

"As far as we know, no one was taken last night." Goran said as they were getting prepared. "But it will strike, and soon."

"We'll kill it before that happens." Ronon promised.

"You must be great at parties." Sheppard commented.

* * *

And their long trek through the woods started. Ronon led the small party, Aria following him closely. Ronon was much more skilled than her when it came to track the Wraiths. Unlike Aria, Ronon had gone one on one against their enemies for the last seven years. Aria had spent most of her life hiding away from them, avoiding them, fighting them only if she had no other choice.

An entire hour at most, they walked through the woods, searching for that Wraith. And nothing yet.

"What about you?" Sheppard asked Teyla. "You sensing anything?"

"I'm not sure." Aria heard Teyla answered as she walked up to Ronon.

"Someone's watching us." She whispered to Ronon. He simply nodded as they walked a little further ahead of the others.

Ronon stopped and raised his arm. Drawing the other's attention. Sheppard joined them. Ronon pulled out his gun.

"It's in there." He simply said. There was a movement ad Ronon took off after whatever it was.

"Ronon!" Sheppard called after him. "Damn it."

They took off after Ronon, through the woods up to a cave. Ronon had waited for them instead of going in.

"It's in there." He said.

"It was a Wraith?" John asked him.

"Yeah."

"Did you see it?" McKay asked him.

"No."

"Well, so how do you know?"

"Ronon is correct." Teyla said. "I can definitely sense it now."

They lit up their torches and stepped into the cave. It was damp and dark. After a few minutes, they stumbled upon the Wraith. As soon as it caught a glimpse of them, it ran away.

"A female." Teyla noted.

They chased after it once more and entered a lit-up room. The Wraith they were pursuing hid behind an elder man. Who, Aria noticed, was protecting her.

"Get out of the way." Sheppard ordered him.

"No. Please, don't shoot." The old man begged them. "She's not what you think. She's my daughter."

"What?" Aria exclaimed.

"She means you no harm."

"She's a Wraith." Ronon reminded him.

"Maybe so." He argued further. "But she's different. I swear to you."

"Let me guess Wraith with a heart of gold?" Sheppard countered.

"She doesn't feed." He continued. "She's never taken a human life."

"How is that possible?" Teyla asked him.

"Please, just lower your weapons, and I'll explain it to you." The man said.

After a moment's hesitation, Sheppard lowered his P-90. His squad, except for Ronon, lowered their weapons.

"It's all right." The man reassured his "daughter."

"Father?"

"I won't let them hurt you." He promised. "I raised her as my own."

"You live here? Together?" Teyla questioned.

"This was part of a mine before the last culling." The man explained. "It's not much to look at, I know, but we don't have much choice. The people of the village would not understand."

"Gee, I wonder why." Sheppard countered.

"The villagers told us there was a Wraith in the forest." Teyla told him. "It came here in a crashed ship ten years ago."

"Ten years ago? Ellia was just a child." He said. "Do you really think that she could be responsible for the deaths that happened immediately after the crash?"

"So, you know about that, then?" McKay said.

"I was there." He retorted. "I helped kill the survivors. But when I found a young female lying unconscious some distance from the crash, I couldn't bring myself to hurt her. I brought her here to this cave to hide her from the others. To this day, the people of the village don't know. And you must promise not to tell them. She's not responsible for what's been happening."

"Well, then who is?" Ronon asked him.

"I believe another Wraith survived the crash." He suggested. "An adult. That's who you should be looking for."

"How is she alive? How does she live without feeding?" Aria asked frowning.

"At first, I fed her as you would any child," He explained looking over at Aria. "And that seemed to suffice. But then something began to change. The food no longer gave her any sustenance. There was a hunger growing in her that would not be satisfied. I heard the stories of the other creature, what it did to survive, and I was afraid that was what Ellia would become. And so, I started to experiment." Aria glanced at the table set in the middle of the space they were in. Several mixtures of any kind were boiling, being distilled. "I have extensive knowledge of the chemical properties of various medicinal plants that grow in this forest." He glanced at McKay who was looking at his equipment. "Are you interested in science?"

"I'm not sure that's what I would call this, but, yes." McKay retorted.

"Ellia's hunger was growing stronger every day, and I wasn't sure that I could do anything for her." He continued. "But, eventually, I came up with this." He held up one of his many bottles, that contained a red liquid.

* * *

Was that even possible? A liquid that would stop the Wraith from feeding would be the best way to stop the threat they were posing to the entire galaxy. This could be their best weapon. But was that possible?

Aria had to admit that Dr. Zaddik seemed to be telling the truth about Ellia. She wasn't like any other Wraiths she had encountered in the past. Ellia was kind, shy even, almost as human as any of them. Zaddik had raised her as his own, as a human and that somehow seemed to have erased her true nature. The only remainder of her being Wraith was her hunger but even Zaddik seemed to have erased. Apart from her appearance, Ellia was human. And in a way, this was disturbing. But had Zaddik told them the truth?

Aria was skeptical. She wanted to believe that Zaddik was saying the truth but Ellia was a Wraith and her nature would resurface one day, if it hadn't already. Zaddik might also be lying to them about Ellia not feeding. Or Ellia was lying to him. Who knew?

Nonetheless, Colonel Sheppard decided to give them the benefit of the doubt. With Ronon, he went back to Atlantis while Teyla, Rodney and Aria remained behind. Keeping an eye on Ellia and Zaddik.

* * *

Ellia was the most human Wraiths she had ever encountered and probably the only one in a long time. It was intriguing and upsetting. Unnatural.

"Now remember, the leaves must be dried and finely ground." Zaddik said to his daughter.

"Like this?" She showed him the leaves she had already grounded.

"A little more." Zaddik retorted. "Now, why is distillation an important step?"

"To remove the toxins from the Ferassin root?" Ellia answered unsure.

"Precisely." Zaddik smiled. "We wouldn't want the serum to send you into paralytic shock, now would we?"

"No, father."

"Seriously, have you seen anything like this before?" Rodney whispered to Teyla and Aria.

"No, I have not." Teyla shook her head. "She is unlike any Wraith I've ever encountered."

"What it it's all an act?"

"If she were a killer, why would he protect her?"

"Maybe, he's a worshipper." Aria suggested. "He might even be helping her feed."

"Unlikely." Teyla retorted.

" _Teyla, this is Sheppard."_ Colonel Sheppard called on the radio.

"Go ahead." Teyla answered.

" _We just got back with Beckett."_ Sheppard continued. _"Ronon's gonna take him up to the cave. I'm gonna check in with the villagers."_

"What are you going to tell them?" Teyla asked him.

" _I'm still working on that."_

* * *

"This equipment's remarkable." Zaddik said as Beckett put his laptop on the table. "Where did you get it?"

"Oh, here and there." Beckett replied quickly. "Let's start by analyzing that drug of yours, shall we?"

"Oh, yes. Of course." Zaddik agreed.

"Would you like some tea?" Ellia offered to her guests. Teyla and Aria politely refused.

Zaddik took one cup. "Thank you."

"No, thank you." Beckett declined.

"Would like some?" Ellia, then, offered to Ronon.

"No."

"Are you sure? It's very good."

"I said, no."

Ellia did not give up though. She came back with a plate of biscuits. "Maybe some biscuits? I baked them myself."

"Stay away from me." Ronon snapped knocking the plate out of her hands. Ellia shrieked, Ronon pulled out his gun.

"Ronon." Teyla raised her hand to stop him. Ellia fled the room and Zaddik followed her. "Was that really necessary?"

"You can dress her up and teach her table manners, but that's not gonna change who she is." Ronon replied before leaving the room.

Aria did not blame him. Ellia might seem different but she was still a Wraith. And no one hated them more than Ronon.

" _Teyla, this is Sheppard. Come in."_ Sheppard called on the radio.

"Go ahead, Colonel." Teyla replied.

" _Is Ellia still in the cave?"_ He asked.

"Yes."

" _She been there the whole time?"_

"Yes. Why?"

" _Yeah, I just found another victim."_ Sheppard informed them. Aria looked over at Teyla. _"Apparently, he's only been missing a couple of hours, which means she couldn't have done it. Looks like Zaddik might've been telling the truth after all."_

* * *

"See ? I told you she wasn't responsible for the killings." Zaddik said once Sheppard was back at the cave. "The serum makes it unnecessary for her to feed."

"Can you confirm that?" Sheppard asked Carson.

"Not yet." Beckett replied. "It'll be a while before I can complete my analysis."

"All right. Well, in the meantime, there's another Wraith out there." Sheppard said.

"I believe Ellia may be able to help us find it." Teyla said.

"How?" Zaddik asked her.

"May I speak with her?" Teyla asked.

"All right." Zaddik nodded.

* * *

Another Wraith was attacking the villagers but Aria didn't believe that Ellia was entirely innocent. Was it because Ellia was Wraith that she refused to believe in her innocence? Probably. It was difficult to see her as anything but…Although, Ellia had proven to be different, her people had culled the humans in this galaxy for thousands of years. She would always be a monster in their eyes. This would never change.

"Zaddik?" Teyla came back into the room. "Is there a river nearby?"

"Yes. Just to the east." Zaddik answered.

"Alright, let's go. McKay, Aria, stay here and help Beckett." Sheppard ordered them.

Aria nodded as McKay started to protest. "Medical research, not really my thing."

"And hunting Wraith?" Sheppard countered.

"But, I mean, I could stay and help Beckett." McKay said. Aria shook her head. As the others left. "Never could get into biology." McKay sighed. "It's just too much information about the human body. One time I took it as an undergrad. I diagnosed myself with half a dozen separate medical conditions before I had to drop the class."

"Really?" Beckett replied, Aria rolling her eyes.

"Yeah, believe it or not, back then I was a bit of a hypochondriac." McKay retorted.

"You know, this does require a certain amount of concentration."

"Rodney?" Aria called checking her P-90. "Let's go get some air and leave Carson to work."

Rodney was about to protest but decided against it as he left the cave first. "Thank you."

Aria nodded and patted his shoulder before following McKay outside.

* * *

They walked a short distance away from the caves. Both not fully believing that Zaddik's serum truly worked. At least, that's what Aria believed. There was something that neither Zaddik or Ellia mentioned.

"How did she do before Zaddik created this serum?" Aria asked suddenly.

"What?" McKay glanced at her.

"Before he created this serum, before he found the right dosage, she had to feed." Aria pointed out. "Question is…"

"Who did she feed on?"

They were both turning around to ask this very question to Zaddik when they caught sight of an angry mob trekking through the woods.

"This is not good." McKay commented.

"Get back to the cave." Aria ordered him. She crouched down as McKay ran back to the cave.

She observed them, following them from afar. Pitchforks, shovels were their weapons. A few minutes later, she was joined by McKay, Beckett and Zaddik.

"Looks like they decided to join the hunt." McKay said.

"If they find Ellia, they'll kill her." Zaddik replied.

"Colonel, this is Aria." Aria called on the radio.

" _What is it, Aria?"_ Sheppard answered.

"Villagers are on the move. It seems they decided to take matters into their own hands." Aria informed him.

" _Are they heading for the caves?"_ Sheppard asked her.

"No, but it's only a matter of time." Aria answered.

" _Alright, get back there and sit tight."_

"You heard Sheppard, let's wait for them at the caves."

* * *

In a matter of minutes, they were back at the caves. But their problems did not end up there. As Zaddik called for his daughter, he quickly realized that she was gone.

"Good Lord." Beckett exclaimed.

"What?"

"She took the retrovirus."

"You said it wasn't ready." Zaddik reminded him.

"It's not. Not by a long shot." Beckeet retorted.

"What'll it do to her?" Zaddik asked him.

"To be honest, I have no idea."

More problems coming their way. An angry mob in the woods, Ellia on the run. After taking a retrovirus that may or may not have undesirable effect. Aria did not know how they were to solve these problems.

"Colonel Sheppard, come in."

" _Go ahead."_ Sheppard answered.

"We've got another problem." Beckett said over the radio. "Ellia's gone, and she's injected herself with the retrovirus."

" _Why would she do that?"_ Sheppard asked.

"She must have overheard us talking about it." Beckett explained. "I told Zaddik it might be the key to making her human."

"Please, you've got to find her before the villagers do." Zaddik begged them.

" _Look, Ronon says we're close."_ Sheppard said. _"If we lose the trail now, we may never catch the Wraith."_

"We'll go look for her, Colonel." Aria said.

" _Alright, but be careful."_

"Understood."

"I'll come with you." Zaddik offered his help.

"No, I think it's best if you stay here." Beckett told him.

"Look, is there anywhere that she liked to go? Any favorited hiding spots or favorite places?" McKay asked Zaddik.

"Yes, she often goes off for hours at a time up into the hills." Zaddik answered. "I don't like it, but she doesn't listen to me."

"It 's a start." Aria said. "Come on, let's go."

* * *

Aria was in the lead, tracking Ellia. She wasn't as skilled as Ronon but she was a hunter. She knew how to track a prey. However, she had never tracked a Wraith.

"You know, I thought it was pretty nuts to track a Wraith through this forest." McKay said.

"Now that it's just us, you feel any better?" Beckett retorted.

"Yeah, supremely confident."

* * *

Aria never thought that she would be looking for a Wraith. All her life, she had fought them, survived them and avoided them. Now, she was helping one of them. Of course, she did not trust Ellia but the girl could turn out to be a threat to others. Especially after injecting herself with a dose of the retrovirus. She could turn into a human or turn into something else.

Aria raised her arm and stopped. "What?—what is it?" McKay asked her.

But before she could answer, a male wraith dropped next to Beckett and swatted him away. Aria fired immediately. Keeping him away from her and McKay. She unloaded her weapon on him before Ellia jumped on the Wraith, fell onto the ground and within a few seconds, she killed him.

Ellia was rabid, nothing to do with the sweet young woman they had met before. There was nothing human about her anymore. Aria did not fire a weapon when Ellia targeted them.

"Ellia, I really don't want to hurt you." Aria warned her. Ellia kept marching onto her, Beckett fired at her. Ellia turned towards him and shrieked before running away.

"Are you alright, lass?" Carson asked her.

"Yeah, you?"

"I'm fine." Beckett sighed. "The retrovirus is having the opposite effect than we intended."

"Yeah, I guess so." McKay retorted.

* * *

One Wraith down, Aria thought. But that did not reassure her. Ellia was far more dangerous than the Wraith. Whoever crossed her path would die. She had to be stopped but how would they stop a rabid Wraith?

A wail, animalistic, could be heard through the woods. A wail that had shivers running down Aria's back.

* * *

"Zaddik!" McKay exclaimed. The man was on the ground, unmoving.

"You all right?" Beckett asked getting on his knees next to Zaddik. "Don't try to move."

Aria swept her eyes around them, making sure that they wouldn't be caught off guard by Ellia.

"It was Ellia, but it wasn't her fault." Zaddik faintly said.

"Over here!" Aria recognized Goran's voice.

"No, no, no!" McKay said. "You people need to go back to the village! It is not safe here!"

"Who is that?" Goran asked.

He stood over Zaddik. "Don't you remember me?" Zaddik asked him.

"No, it can't be." Goran answered. Aria glanced down at McKay. "You were taken by the Daimos."

"No, Father."

"Father?" Aria repeated, confused. "You can't be his son."

"If my son were alive, he'd be thirty-four years old." Goran said.

"Precisely."

* * *

Aria hadn't trusted him or Ellia. But she must admit that he had done for Ellia more than her own father ever did for her. Zaddik had sacrificed his own life to protect her, a Wraith. Whereas her father had pushed her violently onto the ground for holding onto him. She was jealous of the love that Zaddik had for Ellia. She was jealous that a Wraith had received something she had been deprived of for so many years. She, Aria Victus, was jealous of a Wraith that had gone rabid. The idea was laughable.

* * *

"There's another one of those things out there." Callup said to Sheppard. "Look what it did to Zaddik. I say we go after it now!"

"No one's going anywhere." Sheppard said back. "We'll handle this. Stay calm." He turned to Beckett. "How is he?"

"I've given him something for the pain, but his injuries are too severe." Beckett explained. "He's not gonna make it."

"This can't be happening." Goran said, still coming to terms with his son looking older than he was. "It's not possible."

"I'm sorry." Zaddik apologized. "Don't blame Ellia. It was my idea." Zaddik glanced up at them. "You have to understand that when I found her, I had just lost my own wife and son to a fever. She was just lying there, helpless. When I saw her, I knew what I had to do." He continued. "As I told you, in the beginning, she survived on food and water like any young girl. Then the hunger came."

"She fed on you." Aria provided.

"She took what she needed from me to survive until I perfected the serum."

"She never fed on anyone after that?" Sheppard asked him.

Zaddik took more times than it should to give his answer. "No." Probably a last attempt to protect Ellia.

"Alright, Teyla, Ronon, Aria, you're with me." Sheppard said. "The rest of you, stay here."

"Colonel, the retrovirus is acting quickly." Beckett warned him. "The human part of her is almost gone."

"You said she killed the other Wraith and saved Aria's life."

"Yes, but I'm not sure she knew what she was doing. She's operating on a purely animal level right now."

"Is there nothing you can do for her?" Teyla asked Carson.

"I might be able to reverse the effects if you bring her back alive, but I doubt she'll cooperate." Beckett suggested. "She's also stronger and faster than any Wraith I've ever seen."

"Great."

* * *

Ellia had been nothing but sweet to them. And Aria hadn't been able to see her as anything more than a Wraith. She wasn't a monster. She had become one. It was probably not just the retrovirus that turned her into a monster, Aria thought. Maybe the way they viewed her and treated her made her a monster. This was their fault. And Zaddik was not ready to give up on her, he never had.

" _Colonel, this is Beckett."_ Beckett called on the radio.

"Go ahead." Sheppard said.

" _Zaddik's dead."_ Beckett announced.

"Understood."

Aria and Teyla continued forward as Sheppard stopped next to Ronon. The Athosian used her ability to sense the presence of Wraith to connect with Ellia.

"Ellia?" Teyla called.

"Do you really think she is able to understand you still?" Aria asked.

"I don't know." Teyla replied. "But we have to try." Teyla called again. "Ellia? We want to help you. Dr. Beckett can make you better, but you have to come with us." Aria looked around her. Ready to fire in case of an attack. "We will not hurt you."

Leaves rustling nearby alerted them. Before any of them could react, Ellia attacked Teyla, both falling onto the ground. There, Ellia attacked Teyla violently. Aria used her stunner instead of her P-90. She did not want to hurt the Athosian by accident. But to no avail. Ellia was strong and nothing seemed to stop her. Teyla was able to push her away, Ronon shot Ellia. Ellia fell on the ground and immediately got back up. As if nothing happened. And fled.

"Teyla!" Aria knelt down next to Teyla. Sheppard and Ronon joined her. The woman was unconscious. "She is bleeding."

"She took a blow to the head when it hit her." Ronon said.

Sheppard took off his jacket. "Aria, stay with her. Ronon, you're with me."

Aria placed Sheppard's jacket under Teyla's head. And worriedly waited for several minutes, for Teyla to wake up. She had done nothing to help. Teyla had been attacked and she did nothing.

She had been useless.


End file.
